Stay up to date with all the current injuries that happened this past week to determine what you should do with your rosters before your waiver wires run! We will update these injuries throughout to week to reflect practice participation and expectations heading into this upcoming week.

Training Room Week 7

Player

Position

Team

Injury

Timetable For Recovery

Potential Pickup

Comments

Aaron Rodgers

QB

Packers

Broken Collarbone

At least 8 weeks, if not longer.

Nick Hundley

Rodgers was driven into the ground and landed directly onto his right shoulder which cause the fracture. We’ll figure out over the next

Jameis Winston

QB

Buccaneers

Sprained Shoulder

Day to Day

Ryan FItzpatrick

Winston, much like Rodgers, landed on his shoulder after taking a hit. The Bucs state that Winston could’ve came in if needed, but endded up holding him out for precautionary reasons. The pain and stiffness will likely get worse over next few days, so we’ll get a better idea of what to expect from Winston this week.

Leonard Fournette

RB

Jaguars

Sprained Ankle

Day to Day

Chris Ivory

Fournette tried making a jump cut, but as he was planting on his right leg, he lost his footing and landed awkwardly. At first it looked like it was a knee issue, but with slower replay you can see his ankle move wrong and stress the ligaments on the outer aspect of his ankle. He’ll be day to day and may miss some practice time, but hopefully he shouldn’t miss too much time.

Breshad Perriman

WR

Ravens

Concussion

Day to Day

Chris Moore

Perriman took a pretty bad shot as he was attempting to make a catch down the right sideline. He’ll enter the concussion protocol and we’ll get more on his status later this week. He’s not a trustworthy option, but if Maclin were to continue to miss time, he could see more targets.

Emmanuel Sanders

WR

Broncos

Sprained Ankle, Possible Fracture

4-6 Weeks

Bennie Fowler, Jordan Taylor

Sanders took a low hit by Landon Collins as he was coming across the field. His right ankle immediately buckled and he reach for his right ankle right away in a lot of pain. He was carted off the field and wasn’t able to put any weight on his leg, which is very concerning. We’ll update his status when we hear more.

Wondering when a player is going to return from either an injury or a suspension? See below for our On The Radar section, which goes over players that are recovering from an injury sustained in previous weeks and what their timetables are for returning to the field.

On The Radar

Player

Position

Team

Injury

Timetable For Recovery

Potential Pickup

Comments

Jeremy Maclin

WR

Ravens

Sprained Shoulder

Week to Week

Chris Moore

Maclin was ruled out during pregame warmups as his shouldn’t wasn’t responded right before the game. The fact that he was on the field trying to give it a go bodes well for his availability this upcoming week.

Sterling Shepard

WR

Giants

Sprained Ankle

1-2 Weeks

Roger Lewis

Shepard remains sidelined due to an ankle injury that he sustained in Week 5. He’ll remain week to week until we hear further.

Sam Bradford

QB

Vikings

Knee Bone Bruise

3-4 Weeks

Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater

Bradford remains out indefinitely as he tries to get his knee pain under control. He’s been going through different types of treatment to try and expedite the healing process, but cartilage issues take longer to recover due to the poor blood circulation it has. I wouldn’t expect Bradford back for at least another few weeks.

Terrance West

RB

Ravens

Strained Calf

1-2 Weeks

Alex Collins

West remains sidelined with a calf strain and the fact the team signed Bobby Rainey is an indicator that he might miss more than just one week.

Bilal Powell

RB

Jets

Strained Calf

1-2 Weeks

Elijah McGuire

Much like West, Powell wasn’t able to practice and was ruled out for Week 6. Hopefully he’ll get some limited practice in this week, but calf strains can be multi-week injuries even with a lower grade strain.

DeVante Parker

WR

Dolphins

Sprained Ankle

Week to Week

Kenny Stills

Parker remains sidelined with an ankle injury and it’s unclear whether or not he’ll be available for Week 7.

Corey Davis

WR

Titans

Strained Hamstring

1-2 Weeks

Rishard Mathews

Davis remains sidelined with a hamstring strain. There’s a possibility that the Titans hold out Davis until after the Week 8 bye to make sure he’s as close to 100% as possible before returning.

Rex Burkhead

RB

Patriots

Rib Injury

Day to Day

Dion Lewis

Burkhead was a surprise inactive after he was listed as questionable heading into Sunday’s game against the Jets. All indications he was supposed to play, so hopefully we’ll get a better idea of his availability this week.

Rob Kelley

RB

Redskins

Sprained Ankle

1-2 Weeks

Samaje Perine

Kelley will remain very iffy with his ankle injury as he didn’t seem close to returning in Week 6.

Mohamed Sanu

WR

Falcons

Strained Hamstring

2-3 Weeks

Taylor Gabriel

Sanu remains sidelined with a hamstring injury. Hopefully he’ll be able to participate in some fashion in practice this week so we can give a better projection.

Andrew Luck

QB

Colts

Shoulder Labral Repair

2-3 Weeks

Jacoby Brissett

Luck remains on track to return this season, but needs to continue to ramp up his throwing in order to feel confident that he can go out on the field and be effective.

David Johnson

RB

Cardinals

Wrist Surgery

6-8 Weeks

Adrian Peterson

Thanksgiving is the earliest Johnson would return according to Coach Arians, which is still 6 weeks away. I’d expect him to be close to that timeline, but keep an eye on him status as he continues to rehab

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New York Giants RB Paul Perkins (ribs-out) didn’t practice again ahead of Denver. It will be an early-down RBBC of Orleans Darkwa and Wayne Gallman against the Broncos’ brutal run defense.

New York Jets RB Bilal Powell (calf-questionable) didn’t practice again and set to miss a game. RB Matt Forte (knee/toe) went full and will go. It still looks like a lot of RB Elijah McGuire vs. New England.

Oakland Raiders RB DeAndre Washington (hamstring-questionable) was limited again. He should play vs. the Chargers. RB Jamize Olawale (concussion-out) didn’t practice and will miss the game.

Washington Redskins RB Rob Kelley (ankle-doubtful) didn’t practice again and is unlikely play in the great matchup vs. San Francisco with RB Samaje Perine getting his early-down and goal-line work.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Arizona Cardinals WR John Brown (quad) went full. WR J.J. Nelson (hamstring) went full. Both will play vs. Tampa Bay.

Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones (hip) remained limited but will play vs. Miami. WR Mohamed Sanu (hamstring-out) didn’t practice again and will miss the game.

Baltimore Ravens WR Jeremy Maclin (shoulder-questionable) was limited again and remains iffy for Chicago. WR Breshad Perriman (knee-questionable) went full and should go.

Cleveland Browns WR Kenny Britt (knee/groin-questionable) was limited again and has a chance to return in Houston.

Detroit Lions WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring-questionable) was limited again. They are hopeful he can return in New Orleans.

Green Bay Packers WR Jordy Nelson (back) went full again and is fine for Minnesota.

Indianapolis Colts WR Chester Rogers (hamstring) went full again and should play in Tennessee.

Jacksonville Jaguars WR Marqise Lee (ribs) went full and will play vs. the Rams.

Kansas City Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill (hamstring) was limited again but is fine for Pittsburgh. WR Chris Conley (Achilles’-out) didn’t practice again and won’t play. WR Albert Wilson (knee) was limited again and will go.

Los Angeles Chargers WR Mike Williams (back-questionable) was limited again. He should play for the first time in Oakland.

Oakland Raiders RG Gabe Jackson (foot) went full in advance of the Chargers. He will help them take advantage of a good matchup for their RBBC.

Pittsburgh Steelers RT Marcus Gilbert (hamstring) went full and will return in Kansas City. LG Ramon Foster (back-questionable) didn’t practice again and is likely to miss the game.

Tennessee Titans LT Taylor Lewan (knee) went full and will go vs. Indianapolis.

Washington Redskins LT Trent Williams (knee-questionable) didn’t practice again in advance of San Francisco. His absence would really hurt their pass protection.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Baltimore Ravens DT Brandon Williams (foot-doubtful) was limited and is headed to also missing Chicago. It’s a good boost to Bears RB Jordan Howard.

Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett (ankle-questionable) remained limited but will play in Houston with a good chance for more sacks.

Detroit Lions DE Ziggy Ansah (knee-questionable) was limited again and should go in New Orleans. It’s still a strong spot for the Saints’ passing game.

Minnesota Vikings DT Tom Johnson (knee) went full in advance of Green Bay and will play. It’s a tough matchup for the Packers’ running game.

New York Giants DE Olivier Vernon (ankle-out) didn’t practice again and will miss Denver. It’s looking like a comfortable matchup for Broncos QB Trevor Siemian.

New York Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson (shoulder/toe-questionable) didn’t practice again and is headed toward missing a game. It’s a great spot for the Patriots’ entire offense.

LINEBACKERS

Arizona Cardinals ILB Karlos Dansby (hamstring-questionable) was limited again in advance of Tampa Bay. It’s not the easiest of matchups for Buccaneers RB Doug Martin.

Atlanta Falcons OLB Vic Beasley (hamstring) got in more limited practice and will return at Miami. It’s a tough matchup for the Dolphins’ offense all around.

Chicago Bears ILB Nick Kwiatkoski (chest-questionable) was limited again. LB John Timu (ankle/knee-out) didn’t practice again in advance of Baltimore. It’s a good spot for the Ravens’ backs and tight ends in the passing game.

Detroit Lions OLB Paul Worrilow (knee-out) didn’t practice again and is likely to also miss New Orleans. It’s a great spot for the Saints’ RBBC.

Houston Texans OLB Jadeveon Clowney (knee-questionable) was limited. ILB Bernardrick McKinney (hip-questionable) also was limited. It could be a big break for much of the Browns’ limited offense.

Kansas City Chiefs OLB Justin Houston (calf) was limited but will play, a bad break for a struggling Pittsburgh passing game.

Los Angeles Chargers OLB Jatavis Brown (ankle-questionable) was upgraded to full in advance of Oakland. He could play and help slow Raiders TE Jared Cook.

Green Bay Packers S Morgan Burnett (hamstring) didn’t practice for a third day and won’t play. CB Kevin King (concussion-doubtful) also didn’t practice in advance of Minnesota. It’s a good spot for the Vikings’ healthy wideouts and tight ends.

Jacksonville Jaguars CB Jalen Ramsey (ankle) went full. He’ll go vs. the Rams, helping it to make it tough on their wideouts.

Los Angeles Rams S Lamarcus Joyner (hamstring-questionable) was limited again. They hope he can return in Jacksonville or it would be easier on the Jaguars’ slot receivers.

Minnesota Vikings S Andrew Sendejo (groin-questionable) was limited in advance of Green Bay. His absence really would help the Packers’ inside receivers.

New England Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore (ankle) was limited again. He should play at the Jets.

New York Giants S Landon Collins (ankle-questionable) didn’t practice again but they are hopeful he can play. It’s still a good matchup for Broncos TE A.J. Derby. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (suspension-out) didn’t practice and is set to miss Denver. That’s a boost to Broncos WR Emmanuel Sanders when he’s in the slot.

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With Shepard out, and Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall on injured reserve, the Giants will be without 89 percent of their receptions (65 of 73), 88 percent of their receiving yards (719 of 821), and 80 percent of their touchdowns (4 of 5) by wide receivers this season, per NFL Research. Roger Lewis, Tavarres King, etc. face Denver’s ‘No Fly Zone’ secondary, which has allowed the NFL’s lowest passer rating since 2016 (73.6).

At full strength, the Giants would have struggled against the Broncos in Denver. Missing a plethora of players makes the undertaking a gargantuan mountain to climb.

2. Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford wasn’t on the field for the start of practice once again Friday, continuing to miss time because of an injured knee, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported. Coach Mike Zimmer announced the quarterback is out for the Vikings’ game against the Green Bay Packers this weekend.

3. Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (back) was a full participant in Friday’s practice and is off the injury report. He will start Sunday versus the Los Angeles Chargers.

4. Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly suffered a concussion during Thursday’s 28-23 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Panthers linebacker went to the locker room late in the second quarter and did not return. Coach Ron Rivera offered no update on Kuechly after the game.

6. The Cleveland Browns announced receiver Kenny Britt(knee/groin), offensive lineman Shon Coleman (knee) and center JC Tretter (knee) are questionable for the Browns’ tilt against the Houston Texans. Linebacker Jamie Collins (concussion) is returning to the field after missing the past three games.

7. Miami Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker (ankle) did not practice for the third consecutive day, and has been listed as doubtful. Cornerback Byron Maxwell (foot) was listed as questionable.

12. New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (thigh) told reporters he’ll play against the New York Jets.

Quarterback Tom Brady (shoulder) was a full participant Friday and has maintained throughout the week he’ll play Sunday.

13. Houston Texans linebacker Bernardrick McKinney (hip) was limited participant in Friday’s practice and is questionable for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

14. Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay said linebacker Mark Barron (knee) and safety Lamarcus Joyner (hamstring) were both limited in Friday’s practice and are questionable for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

15. The Green Bay Packers listed cornerback Davon House(quad) and offensive tackles David Bakhtiari (hamstring) and Bryan Bulaga (ankle) are questionable for Sunday’s game against the Vikings after being limited in Friday’s practice. Running back Ty Montgomery (ribs) was a full participant and is also listed as questionable. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks (back) and cornerback Kevin King (concussion) are doubtful after not practicing all week.

As a non-profit entity, we do not have the staff to cover the NFL like other great websites. When we find great articles, we pass on the information and give credit where credit is due. The content on our website is provided for FREE and solely to assist the participants in the Fantasy Gives fantasy football fundraiser, where we utilize fantasy sports as a means to support non-profit groups.

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Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans, 8:30 PM ET

Indianapolis Colts

QB Jacoby Brissett

Since Week 2, when he took over as the full-time starter, Brissett is averaging 16 fantasy points/game, trading great weeks with subpar weeks. Off an 18-point day against the 49ers, he now gets to face a Titans defense allowing the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, despite holding Jay Cutler to just 6.5 points last week. Brissett’s rushing ability in the red zone is raising his fantasy floor, with 3 rushing scores in the last three weeks. The Titans are also 31st in our aFPA vs. QB rankings. Brissett is a solid streaming option this week.

RB Frank Gore

Frank Gore is still the main man in the Colts backfield, averaging 16 touches per game. He faces a Titans defense ranked in the bottom half of the league in our aFPA vs. RB rankings. Rookie Marlon Mack flashed for 90+ yards on 9 carries last week, but stubborn Chuck Pagano said this week Mack is not ready for a featured or third-down back role (crazy, I know). That preserves Gore’s value as FLEX option for another week.

RB Marlon Mack

Marlon Mack faces a Titans defense ranked in the bottom half of the league in our aFPA vs. RB rankings. Mack flashed for 90+ yards on 9 carries last week and he also scored a touchdown, but stubborn Chuck Pagano said this week Mack is not ready for a featured or third-down back role (crazy, I know). That preserves Mack as a boom-or-bust, efficiency required proposition. It’s really hard to trust a situation like that.

WR T.Y. Hilton

Jacoby Brissett’s rapid development has put T.Y. Hilton back on the fantasy map while Andrew Luck is out, evidenced by last week’s breakout game of the season. The Titans are the second-easiest matchup in our aFPA vs. PPR WR rankings, too. Hilton has also put up a 5.0-92-0.5 line in his last four games against the Titans. Consider Hilton a low-end WR1 this week.

WR Donte Moncrief

Donte Moncrief’s stats are slowly deteriorating with Kamar Aiken earning more time in the Colts offense. Given his target share in recent weeks, Moncrief is not a viable fantasy option.

WR Kamar Aiken

Donte Moncrief’s stats are slowly deteriorating with Kamar Aiken earning more time in the Colts offense. He’s still not on the fantasy radar, but this trend should be monitored, especially when Andrew Luck comes back.

TE Jack Doyle

Jack Doyle is practicing but still working through the concussion protocol. Until he’s cleared from that, he’s nothing more than a bench stash.

TE Brandon Williams

Jack Doyle is practicing but still working through the concussion protocol. Brandon Williams is the back-up, but he’s not on the fantasy radar.

K Adam Vinatieri

Welcome back, GOAT. Four field goals and two PATs last week, but it’s still hard to trust a kicker in an offense with a back-up quarterback. Our rankings reveal better options.

Tennessee Titans

QB Matt Cassel

Matt Cassel threw for 141 yards and a touchdown subbing for an injured Marcus Mariota last week and it appears Mariota could be out again this week, though check his Friday status. Indianapolis is 30th in points allowed to quarterbacks, having given up 2 passing touchdowns in each of the past three games. But Cassel doesn’t have enough on the ball any longer to necessarily take advantage of that. Don’t put him in your lineup if he plays.

RB DeMarco Murray

DeMarco Murray got 14 carries for 58 yards last week, adding 4 receptions for 11 yards. The 18 touches aren’t bad if you’re okay using Murray as an RB2. But Derrick Henry continues to chip away at Murray’s status. And if Matt Cassel starts at QB, it hurts Murray’s production. Use him as an RB2 again this week. The Colts are 24th in points allowed to opposing running backs.

RB Derrick Henry

Derrick Henry carried the ball only 4 times last week, rushing for a putrid 9 yards. Head coach Mike Mularkey said he needs to use the second-year back more. That is the way things had been trending. But even with a handful more carries, Henry is only worth using as a flex play.

WR Rishard Matthews

Rishard Matthews had just 3 catches for 34 yards last week and clearly misses a healthy Marcus Mariota, with whom he has a nice rapport. At this point, it doesn’t appear Mariota will play again this week. Use Matthews as a high-end WR3 and hope Matt Cassel is feeling a little more frisky this week in the passing game.

WR Eric Decker

Eric Decker matched his season-high with 4 catches last week but only had 34 yards receiving. He is averaging less than 10 yards per reception, which doesn’t bode well for him over the long term. Decker isn’t anything more than a flex play this week in all formats. We’re still waiting for the first touchdown catch from this supposed big red zone target.

TE Delanie Walker

Delanie Walker had 3 receptions for just 25 yards last week, though he did have a TD called back by penalty. With Matt Cassel in the lineup, Tennessee’s passing game is a crap shoot. The Colts have allowed a tight end touchdown in each of the past three weeks, so there’s some hope for Walker, who did score once in two meetings with Indianapolis last season.

As a non-profit entity, we do not have the staff to cover the NFL like other great websites. When we find great articles, we pass on the information and give credit where credit is due. The content on our website is provided for FREE and solely to assist the participants in the Fantasy Gives fantasy football fundraiser, where we utilize fantasy sports as a means to support non-profit groups.

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Miami Dolphins @ Atlanta Falcons, 1:00 PM ET

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Atlanta, GA
Indoors

Miami Dolphins

QB Jay Cutler

The Dolphins are a dumpster fire. This offense is only averaging 10 points per game, and now this week, the offensive line coach was forced to resign after a video surfaced of him snorting a white powdery substance in his office! Start Jay Cutler in Atlanta? Ha. #Nope.

RB Jay Ajayi

The Dolphins are a dumpster fire. This offense is only averaging 10 points per game, and now this week, the offensive line coach was forced to resign after a video surfaced of him snorting a white powdery substance in his office! However, Jay Ajayi is still getting volume. He’s averaging 22 touches per game and coming off 27 touches but only for 79 total yards. So that kind of floor is safe, but the hopes of a high RB1 ceiling don’t seem realistic right now, moving Ajayi closer to RB2 territory in Week 6.

WR DeVante Parker

The Dolphins are a dumpster fire. This offense is only averaging 10 points per game, and now this week, the offensive line coach was forced to resign after a video surfaced of him snorting a white powdery substance in his office! And now Parker has not practiced this week (ankle). It’s not looking good. If he plays, he’s a risky WR2, but you should have more reliable options ready.

WR Jarvis Landry

The Dolphins are a dumpster fire. This offense is only averaging 10 points per game, and now this week, the offensive line coach was forced to resign after a video surfaced of him snorting a white powdery substance in his office! However, Jarvis Landry is averaging 10.8 targets per game, keeping him on the PPR WR radar each week. That’s the same in Week 6. He’s still a FLEX option in standard leagues, too.

WR Kenny Stills

The Dolphins are a dumpster fire. This offense is only averaging 10 points per game, and now this week, the offensive line coach was forced to resign after a video surfaced of him snorting a white powdery substance in his office! And now DeVante Parker has not practiced this week (ankle). Theoretically, that would be good news for a plug-and-play Kenny Stills proposition, but this offense just looks too terrible to take a chance on in Week 6.

TE Julius Thomas

Julius Thomas has been fantasy irrelevant at the tight end position this season, and Week 6 is no different. Don’t start him.

Atlanta Falcons

QB Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan completed 24-of-42 passes for 242 yards, a touchdown, and 2 interceptions in a Week 4 loss to the Bills. He also lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown on what was a questionable call. Ryan has now turned the ball over 6 times in his last two games. He nearly led the Falcons to victory against the Bills, despite not having Julio Jones or Mohamed Sanu, but Atlanta’s offense was stopped on a 4th-and-1 deep in Buffalo territory.

As previously mentioned, Ryan has struggled with turnovers this season but remains a weekly QB1. While Sanu is expected to miss another week or two, Ryan should have Jones back this weekend. Ranked as our QB7 for Week 6, view Ryan as a QB1 against the Dolphins.

RB Devonta Freeman

Devonta Freeman had 18 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons’ Week 4 loss to the Bills. He also added 2 catches for 20 yards. Freeman wasn’t as dominant in this one as he was in the Falcons’ first three games of the year, but he found the end zone for the fourth consecutive week. He remains the Falcons’ No. 1 back and is a weekly fantasy starter. On pace for 1,140 yards and 16 touchdowns, make sure Freeman is in your lineup for Week 6. He’s our RB5 for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

RB Tevin Coleman

Tevin Coleman rushed 9 times for 79 yards and caught 4-of-6 targets for 65 yards in the Falcons’ Week 4 loss to the Bills. With Julio Jones(hip) and Mohamed Sanu (hamstring) exiting the game with injuries, Coleman wound up leading the Falcons in both rushing and receiving. He was targeted heavily in the Falcons’ short passing game and made some big plays in the loss.

Devonta Freeman remains the Falcons’ clear No. 1 back but Coleman still has value as an RB2 in PPR formats. Ranked as our RB17 for Week 6, view Coleman as a RB2/FLEX option for Atlanta’s matchup with Miami.

WR Julio Jones

Julio Jones suffered a hip flexor in the Falcons’ Week 4 loss to the Bills. He went down late in the second quarter and never returned. The good news is that Atlanta had its bye in Week 5, so Jones was able to take two full weeks off. He was limited in Wednesday and Thursday’s practices but said he felt great. There’s no reason to believe Jones won’t suit up Sunday when the Falcons host the Dolphins. Ranked as our No. 3 WR for Week 6, make sure Jones is in your lineup. At some point, he’s going to explode and it could be Sunday against Miami’s leaky secondary.

WR Taylor Gabriel

Taylor Gabriel was held without a catch in the Falcons’ Week 4 loss to the Bills. The fact he didn’t get on the stat sheet was rather surprising considering both Julio Jones (hip flexor) and Mohamed Sanu (hamstring) left the game in the second and third quarters, respectively. Still, with Sanu expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Dolphins, Gabriel is a sneaky flex play. With Miami forced to pay extra attention to Jones, Gabriel could get loose in the Dolphins shaky secondary. Ranked as our WR26 for Week 6, view Gabriel as a legitimate WR3/FLEX play for Sunday.

TE Austin Hooper

Austin Hooper caught 5-of-7 targets for 50 yards in the Falcons’ Week 4 loss to the Bills. After he was a ghost in the previous two weeks, it was a nice rebound performance for Hooper. That said, he benefited from the injuries to Julio Jones, who left in the second quarter with a hip flexor, and Mohamed Sanu, who exited the game early in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. Hooper isn’t a reliable fantasy option. Ranked as our TE19 for Week 6, avoid using him Sunday when the Falcons host the Dolphins.

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Chicago Bears @ Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 PM ET

Chicago Bears

QB Mitch Trubisky

Mitch(ell) Trubisky didn’t have a spectacular first game last week. He had just 128 passing yards, lucked into a touchdown, and threw an interception. He did show some mobility in the game, though, rushing 3 times for 22 yards and a two-point conversion. Overall, though, he doesn’t offer much at the quarterback position.

Not only is Trubisky a poor option in general, but he gets a tough matchup this week against the Ravens. Baltimore has only allowed one multiple-touchdown game to quarterbacks this season and have forced 9 interceptions. Trubisky is among one of the worst QB options this week.

RB Jordan Howard

Jordan Howard played fine last week, carrying the ball 19 times for 76 yards. But he added nothing in the passing game for the second time this season and he failed to find the end zone. Even though he didn’t get any catches, Howard’s 19 carries should make fantasy owners feel comfortable.

This week he gets a decent matchup against the Ravens. Baltimore was tough against the run in the first two games of the season, but in the last three games, the Ravens have allowed an average of 138 rushing yards per game. In addition, they’ve allowed 4 scores in those games as well.

Howard will be a solid option at running back this week and should be viewed as a low-end RB1.

RB Tarik Cohen

Tarik Cohen began the season hot and was the waiver wire commodity everyone wanted. But he’s cooled down lately with fewer touches and fewer yards. The last two games have been his worst performances of the season, with a major dip last week. Cohen finished with just 13 rushing yards on six carries and -6 yards on just one catch. He was out-snapped by Jordan Howard, 34-17.

A few weeks ago, Cohen was looking like a potential RB1 in PPR formats. Now, it’s hard to put him in your lineups. He gets a decent matchup this week against the Ravens, but he needs touches. Cohen is closer to being an RB4, which makes him a bench candidate in most leagues.

WR Kendall Wright

Kendall Wright is easily the most relevant receiver in the Bears’ offense. Last week he led the team in receptions (4) and receiving yards (46). As you can tell, though, those numbers aren’t exactly eye-popping. The Bears’ passing offense is a mess, and just because Wright is the No. 1 option doesn’t mean he’s worth fantasy consideration.

On top of everything else, this will be a tough matchup for Wright. The Ravens have been tough on wideouts this season, and Wright will likely struggle to get many yards. Wright is a WR5, or in other words, an option best left on your bench or the waiver wire.

TE Zach Miller

Zach Miller led the Bears in targets (7) last week with new quarterback Mitch(ell) Trubisky. He finished with three receptions for 39 yards and caught the rookie QB’s only touchdown pass of the night. Miller could have some value if Trubisky keeps targeting him like this, but we’re not too excited about him.

Miller gets a tough matchup this week against the Ravens, who allowed Marcedes Lewis to go off earlier this year, but have mostly kept the position contained this season. Miller is nothing more than a low-end TE2.

Baltimore Ravens

QB Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco is 3-2 as a starter this season, but he hasn’t looked good in the process. He had only 222 yards and 0 touchdowns last week against the Raiders, and is now averaging only 164.6 yards per game. Regardless of matchup, Flacco doesn’t seem to be a viable fantasy option in any given week, and he should remain on waivers in all league formats.

RB Javorius Allen

Javorius Allen had a nice game against the Raiders last week, rushing for 73 yards and catching 4 passes for another 12. He also scored a touchdown and was given 21 carries—a good sign for fantasy owners hoping for a consistent workload in the Baltimore backfield.

Allen will continue to split time with Alex Collins, which makes him risky. However, if Allen gets another 20+ touches versus the Bearsthis week he should be worth RB2 numbers. He gets a little boost in PPR formats as he’s averaging 5 catches per game over the past four weeks.

RB Alex Collins

Alex Collins had 12 carries for 55 yards last week against the Raiders, and his season average yards per carry is still a ridiculous 7.1. Collins’ 12 carries were the most he’s had all season, and that’s a good sign for the second-year back out of Arkansas. He’s still splitting time with Javorius Allen, but with Terrance West banged up, he should continue to get a fair amount of touches.

This week, he’ll face a Bears defense that has given up 5 rushing touchdowns so far this season. However, they are only allowing 3.9 yards per carry to opposing rushers. Collins has upside if he gets enough touches, but with Allen still lurking and limited opportunities in the passing game, he’s a risky RB3 option in most leagues.

WR Jeremy Maclin

Jeremy Maclin had only 43 yards last week against the Raiders, but he did catch 6 passes and led the team with 8 targets. Maclin has been a steady option for QB Joe Flacco in his first year with the team, but he’s been hobbled on and off by nagging injuries that force him to miss large chunks of the game. While he had a touchdown in each of his first two games, he hasn’t done much since and fantasy owners should look elsewhere if they’re looking for reliable production. Maclin is a low-end WR3 option, at best, this week against a surprisingly average Bears defense.

WR Mike Wallace

Mike Wallace only caught 3 passes last week against the Raiders, but he wound up with 133 yards and his second straight double-digit fantasy performance. Wallace is a boom-or-bust option in most weeks. With how shaky QB Joe Flacco has looked this season, it’s hard to trust him. Plus, the Bears plucky defense has been surprisingly average this year, and are allowing only 7.0 yards per pass attempt, 14th in the league.

TE Ben Watson

Ben Watson had only 2 catches for 2 yards against the Raiders last week. He is second on the team with 18 receptions so far this season, though, and he seems to be a prominent part of the Baltimore passing game, paltry as it may be.

Watson is a low-end streaming option against a very average Bears pass defense this week. Chicago has allowed 12.2 PPR points per game to opposing TEs, which ranks them 19th in the league. Watson doesn’t have a lot of upside, but if you’re desperate, he’s likely to get you at least 5 or so points in PPR formats.

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Cleveland Browns @ Houston Texans, 1:00 PM ET

Location: NRG Stadium – Houston, TX
Indoors

Cleveland Browns

QB Kevin Hogan

Kevin Hogan will get his first start on Sunday for the Browns, replacing a struggling DeShone Kizer. Hogan has played three times this season, with his most playing time coming last week. He played quite well, throwing for two touchdowns (and one INT) and 194 yards while completing 16-of-19 passes. He also added 30 yards on the ground.

Hogan has shown promise in his last two seasons, including a 100-yard rushing game last year. We’ll see what he can do with a full workload this week in a favorable matchup against the Texans. Houston has allowed a 300-yard game twice in the last three weeks, including eight passing touchdowns.

Hogan clearly carries a lot of risk as its his first career start, and the Browns’ passing game has struggled this season. But he could be an interesting streaming option if you’re in need. He offers value as a rusher, and has a good matchup.

RB Isaiah Crowell

Isaiah Crowell has struggled most of the season, but the bright side is he had his best game last week. Crowell finished with 60 yards on 16 carries, both season-highs. It’s obviously not a good sign when your starting back’s season high is only 60 yards and he has no touchdowns on the season.

Crowell’s season is unlikely to turnaround this week as he draws a tough matchup against the Texans. Houston has only allowed 1 rushing score to a back all season and they have done a good job keeping backs in check most of the season.

Expect more of the same from Crowell, which will make him a low-end flex play at best.

RB Duke Johnson

A big knock on Duke Johnson in the past has been his inability to score touchdowns, but that has not been a problem this season. He’s scored in three straight games and has been a big value for owners, especially in PPR leagues.

Johnson gets a tough matchup this week against the Texans, though. Houston has allowed the least amount of receiving yards to backs this season, which could make it tough for Johnson to succeed. Still, it’s hard to bench Johnson considering all of the success he’s had recently.

Johnson is a low-end RB2 or flex option in standard, and a strong RB2 play in PPR formats.

WR Ricardo Louis

Ricardo Louis has suddenly taken over as the Browns top receiver, finishing with a team-high 8 targets last week. His final stat line was 5 receptions for 71 yards and 0 touchdowns. Louis has now put up two decent games in the last two weeks and is emerging as a viable option in fantasy.

Louis gets a decent matchup this week against the Texans, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him lead the team in targets again. But he carries some risk as Browns receivers have mostly struggled this season. Louis has some upside but also carries a low floor this week. He should be viewed as a WR4.

TE David Njoku

David Njoku is slowly starting to come along as he had his best game of the season last week. He finished with 3 receptions for 48 yards, but most importantly, he found the end zone again. He’s now scored in three of his last four games and is emerging as a solid red zone threat.

The problem with Njoku is he hasn’t had much production outside of scoring touchdowns. Sure he scores often, but if he doesn’t, then he could end up hurting your team. In a not-so-favorable matchup this week, Njoku is nothing more than a TE2 play.

Houston Texans

QB Deshaun Watson

Thanks to some garbage time yards and TD tosses, Deshaun Watson had a monstrous fantasy game last Sunday night in the loss to the Chiefs. The rookie ended up throwing 31 passes for 261 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also ran for 31 yards. In the past two weeks, Watson has thrown for 9 scores and ran for another. Fantasy owners should continue to ride with the Houston QB, as he’ll be going against a Browns defense allowing nearly 230 passing yards per game. Continue to start Watson.

RB Lamar Miller

After falling behind a clock-dominating Kansas City offense in the first half last Sunday night, the ground game became secondary for the Houston offense, resulting in Lamar Miller finishing with 15 carries for 74 yards and 2 receptions for 15 yards. The 74 rushing yards were the second-most in a game this season for Miller, topped only by the 75 yards he gained on the ground two weeks ago. Miller will be given the bulk of the carries against a Browns defense ranked an impressive No. 6 versus the run. Therefore, he remains an RB2 play.

RB Donta Foreman

Despite losing a fumble to the Chiefs last Sunday night, Donta Foreman continued to receive touches and ended up posting 37 total yards. He carried the ball 4 times and caught a 3-yard pass. The Browns defense is yielding just 77 rushing yards per game, and with Lamar Miller remaining the top RB for the Texans for the foreseeable future, there is no reason for Foreman to be in your starting lineup.

WR DeAndre Hopkins

Talk about making the most of your catches. Despite being targeted a team-high 12 times last Sunday night in the home loss to the Chiefs, DeAndre Hopkins caught just 4 passes. But, he scored on 3 of those receptions and totaled 52 yards. On the season, Hopkins has 35 grabs and has been in the end zone 5 times. There’s no question he’s remaining a part of your starting lineup, especially with how rookie Deshaun Watson is playing. He faces a Cleveland defense this week ranked 19th against the pass.

WR Will Fuller

All Will Fuller has done in his two games this season is score 4 TDs. Last Sunday night, as the Texans were trying to come back on the Chiefs, Fuller caught 2 passes, both for scores, for 57 yards. While DeAndre Hopkins is the team’s No. 1 WR, the second-year WR is receiving looks from Deshaun Watson and finding ways to get into the end zone. Cleveland is ranked No. 19 versus the pass, making Fuller again a WR3/flex play.

TE Ryan Griffin

Although Deshaun Watson threw for 261 yards and 5 TDs last Sunday night versus Kansas City, Ryan Griffin finished with only 2 receptions for 22 yards. In the past two contests, the TE has been held to 4 total grabs. The Browns are allowing over 225 passing yards per game, but Griffin should be considered no better than a low-end TE1 option.

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Green Bay Packers @ Minnesota Vikings, 1:00 PM ET

Location: US Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
Indoors

Green Bay Packers

QB Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers had 221 passing yards and 3 touchdowns last week, adding 4 rushing attempts for another 32 yards. He now has 10 touchdown passes in the past three games, and 13 for the season against 3 interceptions. Rodgers had just 213 yards and 1 touchdown at Minnesota last season but that was early in the year during a slow start. He torched the Vikings in the rematch late in the season for 347 yards and 4 scores. But Minnesota has allowed just 6 TD passes through five weeks. Even so, Rodgers should be a top start.

RB Ty Montgomery

Ty Montgomery has taken some practice reps as he tries to come back from fractured ribs, but he could still be at least a week away from playing. Check his status Friday. But have Aaron Jones ready to go. Jones has done enough to warrant use by the Packers even if Montgomery does play. And if Montgomery does play, he might not be worth anything more than a flex play.

RB Aaron Jones

Aaron Jones burst onto the scene last week with 125 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, adding 1 catch for 9 yards while subbing for an injured Ty Montgomery. Montgomery is still dealing with fractured ribs but could be back this week. If Montgomery doesn’t play, feel free to use Jones as an RB2. If Montgomery is back, Jones will still be in the mix after his effort last week. But he likely won’t get enough work to be used as anything more than a flex play against a tough Minnesota run defense.

WR Jordy Nelson

Jordy Nelson had just 2 receptions for 24 yards last week, but one of them was his league-best sixth TD catch. Despite the presence of Xavier Rhodes, Nelson had lines of 5-73-1 and 9-154-2 last season against Minnesota. Nelson should be in your lineup every week regardless of matchup. Even if he is limited in terms of the number of receptions, he’s always a threat to score.

WR Davante Adams

Davante Adams returned from a concussion two weeks ago in Chicago to post a solid line of 7-66-2, his most productive fantasy day of the season. He had two tough outings last season against Minnesota, catching just 7-of-14 targets for 70 yards and 1 touchdown against his NFC North rivals. The Vikings have been very stingy the past two weeks, allowing just 14 combined receptions to opposing wideouts in that span. But when Aaron Rodgers is throwing the ball, anything is possible. Adams should be used as a low-end WR2.

WR Randall Cobb

Randall Cobb had just 4 receptions for 29 yards last week and how has just 8 catches in the past two games. He’s been a little hit-and-miss thus far this season but it’s tough to bet against any of Green Bay’s top three receivers. Use Cobb this week as a low-end WR3 or flex play and hope the Vikings do enough offensively to keep the Packers throwing the ball.

TE Martellus Bennett

Martellus Bennett had 3 receptions for 53 yards last week, which isn’t bad output considering that is his season high for yards. But he’s still looking for his first score as a member of the Packers. Minnesota could solve that. The Vikings have been stingy, allowing just 6 passing TDs this season, but three of those have gone to tight ends. Bennett could be a sneaky start this week.

Minnesota Vikings

QB Case Keenum

The quarterback carousel continues in Minnesota as Case Keenum is expected back under center this week. Sam Bradford started last week’s game against the Bears, but didn’t look healthy enough and was eventually benched. In his absence, Keenum threw for 140 yards with 1 touchdown.

Outside of the game versus a depleted Bucs defense, Keenum hasn’t done a lot with his playing time this season. He could struggle again this week in a somewhat difficult matchup against the Packers. Green Bay has only allowed two multi-touchdown games against quarterbacks this season, and have held all passers under 260 yards this season.

Keenum is a middle-of-the-road option at QB this week. He’ll be a somewhat safe choice, but unlikely to have a big performance.

RB Jerick McKinnon

Latavius Murray started the game for Minnesota last week, but Jerick McKinnon emerged as the star. McKinnon led the team in carries with 16 and finished with 95 yards and a touchdown, highlighted by a 58-yard carry. He also added a lot in PPR formats with 6 receptions for 51 yards.

Considering McKinnon well out-played Murray last week, we expect him to get more touches moving forward, especially in the passing game. He gets a decent matchup this week against the Packers as Green Bay is allowing the 11th-most rushing yards per game in the league.

McKinnon should be viewed as a high-end RB2 play this week.

RB Latavius Murray

Latavius Murray started last week, but took a backseat to Jerick McKinnon by the time the game was over. Murray finished with 12 carries, but struggled to find much running room as he finished with 31 yards (2.6 yards-per-carry average). He also wasn’t much of a factor in the passing game, catching just 2 passes for 12 yards.

We expect Murray to still have a role in Minnesota’s offense, but McKinnon has become the clear back to own for now. Murray should get close to double-digit touches in a favorable matchup, but he’s not much more than a low-end RB3 or flex play this week.

WR Stefon Diggs

Update: Diggs officially OUT in Week 6

Stefon Diggs could be limited this week with a groin injury. He didn’t play much in Week 5, finishing with just 1 catch for 4 yards on 4 targets. He was absent from Thursday’s practice, although early indications point to him playing this week. His injury is definitely something to monitor, though.

If he does play, he’ll get a decent matchup against the Packers. Assuming he’s fine and healthy, he should be viewed as a strong WR2.

WR Adam Thielen

Adam Thielen was second on the team in targets (8) last week, but struggled to do too much with them in a struggling Vikings offense. He finished with 34 yards (season-low) on 5 catches and that was even with Stefon Diggs missing some time due to an injury.

He’ll get a decent matchup this week against the Packers where he’ll hope to bounce back. Perhaps a full week of practice with Case Keenum will help instead of playing with two quarterbacks in one game.

Thielen has been pretty reliable this season outside of last week, although he still hasn’t scored this season. He should be viewed as a low-end WR1.

TE Kyle Rudolph

Kyle Rudolph bounced back last week after a disappointing start to the season. He led the team in targets (9) and finished with 6 receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. He could go back to his struggling ways this week, though, as he gets a tough matchup against the Packers.

Green Bay has allowed the second-fewest points to opposing tight ends, highlighted by the fact they haven’t allowed a single touchdown to the position. Despite the difficult matchup, we still like Rudolph as a low-end TE1 option in Week 6.

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Detroit Lions @ New Orleans Saints, 1:00 PM ET

Location: US Bank Stadium – Minneapolis, MN
Indoors

Detroit Lions

QB Matthew Stafford

In the home loss to the Panthers last Sunday, Matthew Stafford took a beating. He was taped just above the knee initially due to a hamstring injury, then took another hit and received tape around his ankle and foot. The Lions QB played through the injuries and ended up throwing two fourth-quarter touchdowns to TE Darren Fells. Stafford finished the game with 229 passing yards, but was sacked 6 times. Despite playing on the road this week, things shouldn’t be as rough, as the Saints are allowing 265 yards through the air. Stafford’s status is uncertain, but if he’s healthy enough to go, he remains a QB1 play.

QB Jake Rudock

As starting QB Matthew Stafford tries to heal from a sore hamstring and ankle injury suffered last Sunday against the Panthers, Jake Rudock is preparing for his first NFL start. Stafford will likely be the guy at New Orleans; but, if he’s unable to go, Rudock could be worth a look against a shaky Saints defense.

RB Ameer Abdullah

Even though Ameer Abdullah received 10 of the Lions’ rushing attempts last Sunday versus Carolina, it was Zach Zenner who scored the team’s lone TD on the ground. After running for 94 yards at Minnesota in Week 4, Abdullah finished with just 31 yards in the loss to the Panthers, as Detroit was trying to play catchup for much of the afternoon. On Sunday, the Lions top RB will be facing a New Orleans defense ranked No. 17 against the rush. Therefore, consider Abdullah an RB2 option, regardless who is starting at quarterback for the team.

RB Theo Riddick

In the loss to the Panthers last Sunday, Theo Riddick caught 4 passes for a season-high 45 yards. While it was good to see Riddick active in the passing attack, he has totaled only 135 receiving yards and 1 TD through the first five weeks of the season. On the road at New Orleans could lead to a high-scoring affair, which may be a good sign for Riddick owners. However, he remains a flex play, at best, especially with Matthew Stafford’s health in question.

WR Golden Tate

With Matthew Stafford throwing 35 times last Sunday versus Carolina, Golden Tate was targeted 8 times. He hauled in 5 passes for 48 yards; however, it was the fourth straight game he’d been held to less than 60 yards. Tate is averaging 5 grabs per game, but has scored only once in 2017. On the road at New Orleans could be a shootout, so, despite the disappointing outings the past month, Tate should be used as a WR3/flex play, even if Stafford is unable to go.

WR Marvin Jones

In the loss to the Panthers last Sunday, Marvin Jones was targeted a season-high 8 times, resulting in team-highs of 6 receptions and 54 yards. Jones had only 8 catches coming into the game, so the outburst was a bit of a surprise. The Saints are giving up 265 passing yards per game, so Jones could be a sneaky start if you’re running low on WRs.

WR Kenny Golladay

Still hampered by a hamstring injury, Kenny Golladay has missed the past two weeks. He’s hoping to be on the field versus New Orleans, where Matthew Stafford and the Lions passing attack has a great matchup. The Saints are ranked 28th at defending the pass, so, if he’s healthy enough to go, you may want to consider Golladay as a flex play.

TE Darren Fells

Matthew Stafford found Darren Fells for two fourth-quarter scores last week, but it wasn’t enough, as the Lions fell to the Panthers. As Eric Ebron continues to regress, Fells has emerged the past two weeks. Prior to the two-touchdown performance versus Carolina, he caught 4 passes for 40 yards the week before at Minnesota. If Stafford is healthy enough to go on Sunday in New Orleans, the game could see a lot of points. Fells is still only worthy of a TE2 play, though.

TE Eric Ebron

What has happened to Eric Ebron? He was supposed to be a big weapon for Matthew Stafford and the Detroit offense, but he finished last Sunday’s game versus Carolina with just a 6-yard grab on 4 targets. It was fellow TE Darren Fells who caught both of Stafford’s TD tosses in the loss. Ebron has just 12 receptions for 93 yards on the season. Even though the Saints defense has struggled this season, there has to be a better tight end option.

New Orleans Saints

QB Drew Brees

Drew Brees completed 29-of-41 passes for 268 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins in London. Brees wasn’t as sharp as he normally is to start the game, but he settled in during the second half. He completed 5-of-6 passes after halftime, leading the Saints on a touchdown drive. The Lions own the No. 7 fantasy defense against quarterbacks and force turnovers on a weekly basis, but Brees remains a high-end QB1. He’s our No. 3 ranked QB for Week 6.

RB Mark Ingram

Mark Ingram rushed 14 times for 45 yards and caught 4-of-8 targets for 17 yards in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins in London. He’s now averaging 11.93 points in standard leagues and 15.56 points in PPR. He remains the clear No. 1 back in New Orleans and no longer has to cede carries to Adrian Peterson, who was traded to Arizona earlier this week. Alvin Kamara’s role should grow, but Ingram is a weekly RB2.

Ingram has a decent matchup on Sunday when the Saints host the Lions. Ranked as our RB9 against Detroit’s NO. 15-ranked defense against fantasy running backs, consider Ingram a low-end RB1 for Week 6.

RB Alvin Kamara

Alvin Kamara turned 15 touches into 96 total yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins in London. His role should increase following the Adrian Peterson trade to Arizona. Mark Ingram remains the Saints’ clear No. 1 back but Karama will continue to see time in a pass-catching role. He’s a dynamic runner and a weekly fantasy option in PPR formats.

The Saints host a Lions team ranked No. 15 against fantasy running backs. Kamara ranks as our RB22 for Week 6, so consider him as a low-end RB2 or FLEX option for Sunday.

WR Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas caught 8-of-11 targets for 89 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins in London. Thomas has yet to go over 100 yards this season but he has posted at least 85 yards in three consecutive games. He also has a touchdown in his last two contests. The Lions own the No. 9 defense against fantasy wide receivers but Thomas is a weekly WR1. Ranked as our No. 4 WR, make sure Thomas is in your lineup.

WR Willie Snead

Willie Snead was inactive for the Saints’ Week 4 matchup with the Dolphins in London due to a hamstring injury. Snead said earlier this week the team is working him back slowly. Not knowing what his role is going to be, it’s hard to trust Snead this week against a Lions defense ranked No. 9 against fantasy receivers. Snead is our WR36 for Week 6. View him as a WR4/5 only.

WR Ted Ginn

Ted Ginn caught both of his targets for 25 yards and rushed once for 9 yards in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins in London. One would have thought Ginn would have had a bigger day with Willie Snead sidelined with a hamstring injury. Instead, he reminded fantasy owners why he’s a risky play. Ranked as our WR51 for Week 6, avoid Ginn on Sunday.

TE Coby Fleener

Coby Fleener caught 2-of-4 targets for 21 yards in the Saints’ Week 4 win over the Dolphins in London. Despite Willie Snead sidelined with a hamstring injury and Josh Hill forced out of the game due to a concussion, Fleener still wasn’t a big part of the game. Ranked as our TE12 for Week 6, Fleener is a risky, low-end TE2 for Sunday’s matchup with the Lions. At least the matchup is good on paper, as Detroit ranks as fantasy’s No. 26 defense against tight ends.

New England Patriots @ New York Jets, 1:00 PM ET

New England Patriots

QB Tom Brady

Tom Brady reportedly suffered an AC joint sprain in his left non-throwing shoulder in Week 4 and aggravated it last Thursday night against the Bucs. However, Brady has strongly said he will play this week against the Jets. Brady has averaged 20 fantasy points per game in his last four starts against the Jets, making him a top option once again in Week 6.

RB Mike Gillislee

Mike Gillislee has put together five weeks of evidence that shows he’s a touchdown-or-bust fantasy option. However, his chances are really good this week against a Jets team ranked 31st in aFPA vs. PPR RBs. Gillislee could see more touches, too, with Tom Brady nursing a sprained non-throwing shoulder injury, if the Patriots get up big early. However, his floor is low each week, as he’s yet to play 40% of snaps in a game.

RB James White

James White is on pace for more than 90 receptions this year. He is directly benefiting from Julian Edelman being out for the year. White has four games with 9+ PPR points, and he is a FLEX consideration (or bye week RB2 replacement) against a Jets team ranked 31st aFPA vs. PPR RBs. Be on the look out for Dion Lewis though, as he’s starting to cut into White’s snaps.

RB Dion Lewis

Is Dion Lewis starting to come on for the Patriots? Well, his snaps have increased every week this season, and he’s received red zone work each of the past two weeks. You can’t start him this week, but it’s a name you should monitor (and maybe bench stash).

WR Brandin Cooks

It’s clear Chris Hogan is Tom Brady’s primary WR target and not Brandin Cooks. This has continued Cooks’ career trend of boom-or-bust fantasy weeks. Yes, he has a 30-point PPR week this season, but his other four weeks were less than 14 PPR points. Even with an outstanding matchup on paper, Cooks is in low-end WR2 status with Tom Brady content to spread the ball around.

WR Chris Hogan

Chris Hogan is tied for second in the NFL with 10 red zone targets and 4 red zone touchdowns. That kind of usage makes him the Patriots’ No. 1 WR over Brandin Cooks. The Jets are only 28th in aFPA vs. PPR WRs; therefore, fire up Hogan again as a WR2 in Week 6.

WR Danny Amendola

Danny Amendola has posted 15+ PPR points in three out of four games he’s played in this season. He also has had 7+ targets in three of those four games. Against the Jets? He’s a great FLEX option with upside from there, as he also has 2 red zone targets in back-to-back games.

TE Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski is practicing on a limited basis this week. His status for Week 6 is not a 100% lock, but it’s looking good. Obviously, you start him every game he’s active, but just make sure you have a back-up plan.

K Stephen Gostkowski

The Jets may be ranked third in aFPA vs. Kickers, but the Patriots have an implied total that’s the fourth-highest in the league for Week 6. Keep starting Gostkowski.

New York Jets

QB Josh McCown

The Jets continue to win. Although Josh McCown is not putting up any crazy numbers, he is solidifying his standing as the No. 1 Jetsquarterback. Against the Browns, he threw 2 touchdown passes and completed 77% of his passes. Again, his numbers aren’t making any fantasy owners run out and get him, but he could serve as depth the rest of the season.

He has a chance to have another decent game against a New England defense ranked 29th in aFPA to quarterbacks. Couple this with the way he has been playing and he actually is a solid QB2 for Week 6.

RB Bilal Powell

Bilal Powell is nursing a calf injury that limited him to 6 touches last week against Cleveland. That performance was a disappointing for owners as he looked like he took control of the Jets backfield again with 25 touches the previous week.

He didn’t practice so even if he plays, he will be limited and that’s too bad because it’s a great matchup this week against the Pats who are ranked 30th in aFPA to running backs. Keep Powell on the bench and pick up Elijah McGuire who will get the bulk of the snaps and touches in Week 6.

RB Elijah McGuire

With both Bilal Powell and Matt Forte nursing injuries, Elijah McGuire gets a chance to shine for the Jets. The rookie out of Louisiana has 25 touches the last two weeks, but could easily see 20 alone in Week 6. He had a great fantasy week against Jacksonville which included a touchdown, but last week’s results were limited.

He will face a New England defense ranked 30th in aFPA to running backs, so the matchup is good. Unless Powell or Forte are healthier than we think, McGuire is a good short-term pickup and a high-end RB3 or flex play against the Pats.

WR Jermaine Kearse

Jermaine Kearse was only targeted 4 times last week and had 4 receptions for 38 yards, but he rewarded anyone who played him with his third touchdown of the season. Kearse remains the best option of the Jets wide receivers, but the conservative offense the Jetsare running will always limit them in fantasy, especially in the passing game.

Kearse will face the Patriots, who are ranked 27th in aFPA to wide receivers, so it might be a decent day for him and the passing game—just don’t expect too much. Kearse rates a WR3 or flex option for Week 6.

WR Robby Anderson

Robby Anderson was targeted 5 times last Sunday but it only produced 2 receptions. This is pretty much how Anderson will be in 2017. He will occasionally show some WR2 potential but in the end, you will get most weeks like Week 5.

Anderson does have a good matchup against the Pats, who are ranked 27th in aFPA to wide receivers. Even with that, it is still not a good idea to play Anderson in Week 6. Keep him on the bench.

TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins

Austin Seferian-Jenkins might be the best overall fantasy option on the Jets. He was targeted a game-high 8 times last week, and although it only produced 29 yards, he did score a touchdown which is key at the tight end position.

Seferian-Jenkins has a great matchup this week against New England who is 27th in aFPA to tight ends. His fantasy stock has skyrocketed since he returned several weeks ago and Week 7 sees his highest ranking yet. Pick up Seferian-Jenkins and start him as a solid TE1 against the Pats.

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San Francisco 49ers @ Washington Redskins, 1:00 PM ET

San Francisco 49ers

QB Brian Hoyer

Brian Hoyer had his second big game in three weeks, throwing for 353 yards and 2 scores against Indianapolis last week. Given the matchup, the 49ers could be forced to throw again this week if they fall behind. Hoyer isn’t anything close to a sure bet, however. This one would take some guts to do. But he could be a sneaky start if you feel the Washington will start fast.

RB Carlos Hyde

Carlos Hyde got just 8 carries last week compared to 10 for Matt Brieda. But that was because Hyde managed just 11 yards on his attempts, while Breida had 49. Hyde is still the starter and if he starts well, Brieda will only get a smattering of carries. Washington is third in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, so it could be tough sledding. But Hyde is the better back and more of a threat as a pass-catcher. Use him as an RB2.

RB Matt Breida

Matt Breida got 10 carries for 49 yards last week, outdistancing starter Carlos Hyde in both categories. But Hyde is still the starter and Breida isn’t going to get a bunch of carries unless Hyde struggles. There’s no use of putting Breida in your fantasy lineup until he has a more defined role.

WR Pierre Garcon

Pierre Garcon hauled in a season-high 8 passes for 94 yards last week, though he failed to score for the fifth consecutive game. That could be difficult to do again this week as Washington has given up just 1 touchdown to a wide receiver this season. The 49ers could be forced to throw, however, and Garcon is the clear No. 1 target. He should be a solid start as a WR2 this week.

WR Marquise Goodwin

Marquise Goodwin had a breakout game, catching 5 passes for 116 yards, both season-highs. But considering he had just 3 receptions in the previous two games, you might want to wait another week before inserting him into your lineup. Goodwin is averaging over 17 yards per catch. He’s the deep threat here. But Washington has given up just 1 touchdown to an opposing wideout this season.

TE George Kittle

Well, hello, George Kittle. After showing some early promise, Kittle disappeared for a few weeks. He emerged last week to catch 7 passes for 83 yards and a touchdown. He now faces a Washington defense that has given up a tight end score in each of the past two weeks. Kittle is dealing with a myriad of injuries, but it hasn’t kept him from playing yet this season. He’s a low-end starter this week as a tight end, especially in a week with four teams on the bye.

Washington Redskins

QB Kirk Cousins

Coming off the bye, Kirk Cousins hosts a 49ers team allowing the 12th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks and playing their second straight early east coast kickoff after flying across the country. Washington has the second-highest implied team total in Vegas this week of more than 28 points, and the 49ers are just 21st in our aFPA vs. QB rankings. Fire up Cousins as a solid QB1.

RB Chris Thompson

Coming off the bye, Rob Kelley is likely out, meaning Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine will split the backfield work. When this happened in Week 3, Thompson exploded on just 14 touches. Expect another 10-15 touches this week, as Washington will still rely on Samaje Perine for traditional early-down work, but Thompson is a solid RB2 option in Week 6 against a 49ers defense ranked 29th in our aFPA vs. PPR RB rankings.

RB Samaje Perine

Coming off the bye, Rob Kelley is likely out, meaning Chris Thompson and Samaje Perine will split the backfield work. Jay Gruden said this week Washington will still rely on Samaje Perine for traditional early-down work, putting him on the FLEX radar in Week 6 against the 49ers defense that is 29th in our aFPA vs. PPR RB rankings. If you’re in desperate need of an RB, you could do worse, but take note of Perine’s previous poor weeks as an indication of his low floor.

WR Terrelle Pryor

Coming off the bye, Terrelle Pryor faces a 49ers defense ranked 20th in our aFPA vs. PPR WR rankings. Hopefully the time off gave Pryor a chance to build more chemistry with Kirk Cousins after an inconsistent September. Pryor has three straight games with less than 6 targets, even with TE Jordan Reed out or limited. For these reasons, he’s risky, but the matchup provides upside. So, consider Pryor a boom-or-bust WR3 this week.

WR Jamison Crowder

Coming off the bye, Jamison Crowder faces a 49ers defense ranked 20th in our aFPA vs. PPR WR rankings. Washington reportedly would like to get Crowder more involved moving forward. Before a one-target Week 4 dud, Crowder was averaging 6 targets per game, but when considering his awful 7.6 yards per reception, he does not crack our top-40 WRs in Week 6. Find better options.

TE Jordan Reed

Coming off the bye, Jay Gruden said Reed is “looking great…no problems whatsoever”; however, Reed himself said he’s not yet 100%. Considering the wasteland that is the tight end position in fantasy, you’re starting Reed if he’s healthy. His production last game was due to him playing limited snaps, but the bye week should get him back to his normal workload.

TE Vernon Davis

Vernon Davis is a high-value tight end handcuff, given the state of the position. It’s hard to find tight ends, and if you’re a Jordan Reed owner, he’s close to a must own. Reed is expected to play this week, though; therefore, you should not start Davis.

K Dustin Hopkins

Dustin Hopkins is a top-five kicker in Week 6. The 49ers have given up the most points to fantasy kickers this season.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 PM ET

Location: University of Phoenix Stadium – Glendale, AZ
Indoors

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

QB Jameis Winston

As expected, Jameis Winston was able to take advantage of the poor Patriots defense last week, throwing for 334 yards. Unfortunately for fantasy owners, though, he only had one touchdown in the game. It’s still a decent outing, though, as Winston now has three straight games of 300 yards or more.

His success should continue again this week in a favorable matchup against the Cardinals. Arizona just allowed a 300-yard game to the Eagles last week, and have given up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season.

Winston should be viewed a strong QB1 play this week.

RB Doug Martin

Doug Martin made his return last week after serving a suspension to start the year, and it was worth the wait. He played well, rushing for 74 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. The game script made it so he didn’t carry the ball too much, but if he keeps averaging 5.7 yards per carry he’ll be in for a big season.

Having said that, though, he could struggle this week. He gets a tough matchup against the Cardinals who are allowing less than 100 rushing yards per game. Arizona is giving up just 3.3 yards per carry, which ranks sixth in the league.

Martin is mostly a rush-only player as he didn’t do much in the passing game last week (1 catch). He should be viewed as a solid RB2 play this week.

WR Mike Evans

Mike Evans was a bit of a letdown last week as he finished with 5 catches for 49 yards as Jameis Winston threw for over 300 yards. We’re not too worried about Evans’ struggles because he’s still getting targets, but it’s a bit surprising we haven’t seen him with a 100-yard game this season considering how well Winston has been playing.

The good news for Evans is he gets another favorable matchup this week against the Cardinals. Arizona is allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season, and with the Bucs playing well on offense, we expect Evans to finish with solid numbers. Evans should be viewed as a strong WR1 this week.

WR DeSean Jackson

DeSean Jackson had a breakout performance last week finishing with a season-high 106 yards on 5 receptions. He also led the team with 9 targets, although he failed to find the end zone. It’s still a positive trend for Jackson, who has been hot and cold for most of the season.

Jackson’s upward trend could continue this week in a favorable matchup against the Cardinals. Arizona has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season, which means Jackson has a good chance to explode for a big play.

Jackson carries some risk with him due to his low floor, but we like him as a strong WR3 this week.

WR Adam Humphries

Adam Humphries has been a nice surprise this season as he now has 50 or more yards in three straight games. He’s actually out-gained teammate Mike Evans during that stretch. While Humphries is clearly down the pecking order, he’s made himself relevant in fantasy.

He gets a favorable matchup this week against the Cardinals and should be viewed as an intriguing WR5.

TE Cameron Brate

Cameron Brate has definitely emerged as the Bucs tight end to own in fantasy. He had another standout game last week, finishing with 68 yards and a touchdown on 5 catches. He led the team with 9 targets and has now scored in three straight games.

With a decent matchup this week against Arizona, Brate should continue to be used as a TE1. The Bucs offense has been rolling with Jameis Winston throwing for 300+ yards almost every week, and everyone will benefit as a result.

Arizona Cardinals

QB Carson Palmer

Carson Palmer didn’t do a lot against a vulnerable Eagles defense last week, but he still wound up with 291 yards, 1 touchdown, and he didn’t throw a pick. Palmer looks a little better in recent weeks than he did in his three-interception Week 1 performance, putting him back in high streaming and backup territory in most leagues.

The Bucs have given up the fifth-most points per game to the QB position so far this season, which should provide a nice opportunity for Palmer to have a bounce back game. He’s a nice streaming option and a quality starter for fantasy owners filling bye weeks or making up for injuries.

RB Adrian Peterson

Adrian Peterson hasn’t been productive the past two seasons, struggling with injuries and ineffectiveness, but his arrival in Arizona will at the very least provide him with additional opportunities to show he still has what it takes to be an effective starter. He was barely used in New Orleans, while Chris Johnson was getting double-digit carries for the Cardinals.

Peterson has high upside if he gets as much work as is expected, but this might not be the best week to use him. He’s likely still getting acclimated to the offense and it will be risky to assume he’ll make an immediate impact. Fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach with him.

RB Andre Ellington

Andre Ellington only had one carry last week, but he caught 9 passes for 65 yards and tied for the team lead with 10 targets on the day. Ellington should remain the primary pass-catching option out of the backfield, but with the Cardinals acquiring Adrian Peterson in a trade this week, it’s unlikely he’ll get two-down work, limiting his overall upside.

This week, we have Ellington as a low-end RB3 option, at best, in a matchup with the Bucs, who have been much better against the run than the pass. The Bucs did allow 9 catches to Patriots RBs last week, though, which means Ellington has some deep sleeper value in PPR formats.

WR Larry Fitzgerald

Larry Fitzgerald only had 51 yards last week, but he caught 6 passes on the day and tied for the team lead with 10 targets. Fitzgerald remains a steady option in all league formats, and should continue to be heavily targeted in the Arizona passing game.

This week, Fitzgerald has a lot of upside against a Bucs team giving up more fantasy points per game to the WR position than any other team in the league this year. Fantasy owners should have Fitzgerald active as a fringe WR1 option in all leagues.

WR John Brown

John Brown got a touchdown last week, but he only caught 2 passes for 26 yards. He was targeted 7 times on the day, though, and he appears to be healthy, which is a good sign for fantasy owners who have hung on to him.

This week, he has some upside against a Bucs defense allowing more points to opposing WRs than any other team in the league. However, it’s hard to trust him when J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown continue to get a large share of snaps and targets as well.

WR J.J. Nelson

J.J. Nelson led the team in receiving yards last week with 80, but he only caught 4 passes total. He has some upside this week against the Bucs, who allow more fantasy points to the WR position than any other team in football this season, but it’s hard to trust him with John Brown healthy and Jaron Brown also playing well. Fantasy owners should consider Nelson a low-end desperation start at best, with some boom/bust potential.

WR Jaron Brown

Jaron Brown has been impressive in limited looks this year, but with a healthy group of WRs now in Arizona, he only caught 3 passes for 39 yards last week. Brown will continue to be hindered by the presence of John Brown and J.J. Nelson, and he should probably stay on waivers or on the bench in most fantasy leagues, despite a good matchup.

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Los Angeles Rams @ Jacksonville Jaguars, 4:05 PM ET

Los Angeles Rams

QB Jared Goff

Jared Goff completed 22-of-47 passes for 288 yards with 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Seahawks. Goff also lost a fumble in a rough performance overall, although he did lead the Rams deep into Seattle territory with under a minute left to play. Had Cooper Kupp not had a pass go off his hands on a diving attempt in the end zone, the Rams probably win the game despite turning the ball over 5 times.

Goff has looked like a different quarterback under Sean McVay’s guidance, but he’s still not on the fantasy radar. He’s averaging just 13.2 points per game and has a tough matchup on Sunday against a Jacksonville team that intercepted Ben Roethlisberger 5 times last week in Pittsburgh. Ranked as our No. 23 quarterback in Week 6, avoid Goff on Sunday against the No. 1 fantasy defense in the league.

RB Todd Gurley

Todd Gurley posted his first dud of the season, rushing 14 times for 43 yards in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Seahawks. He also lost a fumble as the Rams turned the ball over five times on the day. The day got off to a rough start for Gurley, who appeared to score a touchdown on the team’s opening drive but instead fumbled off the pylon. The Seahawks did a great job containing Gurley and forcing Jared Goff to beat them.

Gurley is back on the RB1 radar this week as the Rams travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. The Jags have an upstart defense but they’ve struggled against the run this season. They rank as the No. 28 fantasy defense against running backs. Ranked as our RB4 for Week 6, make sure Gurley is in your lineup this Sunday.

WR Sammy Watkins

Sammy Watkins failed to haul in any of his 4 targets in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Seahawks. Sean McVay said earlier this week that the team will find ways to get Watkins more involved in the offense but the receiver himself noted he does not know if his role will increase moving forward. Watkins has all the talent in the world and he should be posting big numbers in McVay’s explosive offense, but for one reason or another, Cooper Kupp has been more productive. Ranked as our WR52 for Week 6, avoid Watkins against the Jaguars excellent defense.

WR Cooper Kupp

Cooper Kupp caught 3-of-8 targets for 44 yards in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Seahawks. His fourth reception could have been the game-winner for the Rams, but Jared Goff’s pass glanced off Kupp’s hands as he made a diving attempt in the end zone. He got wide open on the play, but couldn’t haul it in as the Rams stalled a play later.

Kupp has averaged 6.56 points in standard leagues and 10.13 in PPR formats. He’s also out-targeted Sammy Watkins 29-20, but he’s nothing more than a weekly dart throw. Ranked as our WR48 for Week 6, view Kupp as a WR4/5.

TE Tyler Higbee

Tyler Higbee caught 4-of-8 targets for 98 yards in the Rams’ Week 5 loss to the Seahawks. The yardage was a career-high for Higbee, who led the team in receiving. He now has 145 yards receiving over his past two games, which puts him on the map as a TE2. Higbee ranks as our TE23 for Week 6 but he could be moving up the ranks soon. Consider him as a sneaky option for DFS formats but stay away from him in your year-long leagues.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Blake Bortles

Blake Bortles attempted just 1 pass in the second half and threw for 95 yards with an interception against the Steelers. He has a combined 235 passing yards in his past two games. There is no way he should be anywhere near a fantasy lineup right now—even in a 32-team league, especially against a Rams defense that has held three opponents to less than 200 passing yards.

RB Leonard Fournette

Leonard Fournette broke free for a 90-yard touchdown run late in the game last week to put the cherry on top of a 28-carry, 181-yard game with 2 scores. The workload and yards were career-highs. He’s really not going to give you a lot receiving because, well, the Jags would prefer not to throw the ball, but the Rams struggle in all aspects against opposing running backs, which is why they rank dead last stopping opposing backs. Fournette is a must start in all formats.

RB Chris Ivory

Chris Ivory got 8 carries for 41 yards last week but has been slowed by a hip flexor injury this week. Those can be painful, but he should be ready to go this week. But given his limited workload, he’s not worth using as anything more than a flex play, even against fantasy football’s worse RB defense.

WR Marqise Lee

Marqise Lee got 4 targets last week and turned them into 2 catches for 49 yards. He now has just 4 receptions in the past two games and is dealing with a rib issue that kept him from practicing on Thursday. He should play this week but the Jaguars don’t want to throw the ball unless they have to. Considering the Rams are last in the league against opposing running backs, that might happen. Use Lee as a flex play only.

WR Allen Hurns

Allen Hurns had just 2 catches for 21 yards last week and failed to score. He now has 6 catches in the past two weeks and hasn’t scored. His production is almost entirely dependent on scoring and that makes him pretty dicey each week. The Rams have given up just 3 touchdowns to WRs this season. Hurns likely isn’t worth using as anything more than a flex play.

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Pittsburgh Steelers @ Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers

QB Ben Roethlisberger

Roethlisberger threw a career-worst 5 interceptions last week to go along with 0 touchdowns—for the first time in 45 straight home games—and 312 yards. Not all of the interceptions were necessarily his fault, but they are what they are and he now has 6 TDs against 7 interceptions on the season. Roethlisberger had some success against KC in two meetings last season, throwing for over 500 yards with 5 TDs and just 1 interception in two meetings. He had just 221 yards and an interception in the playoffs at Kansas City last season but that was in a steady rainstorm. In seven career meetings with the Chiefs, he has 13 TDs and just 3 interceptions with a passer rating of 118.7. Look for a bounce back game this week. That said, there are better options available.

RB LeVeon Bell

LeVeon Bell got just 15 carries for 47 yards last week but did catch 10 passes for another 43 yards, giving him a productive day, especially in PPR leagues. He has typically destroyed Kansas City’s defense. In three meetings, including a 170-yard game in the playoffs last season, he has 481 yards from scrimmage against Kansas City, including 435 on the ground. Bell is a must-start in all fantasy formats.

WR Antonio Brown

Antonio Brown caught 10 passes for 157 yards last week against Jacksonville, but took 19 targets to get there. In five career games against Kansas City, he’s averaged nearly 90 yards per game and scored 3 times. Kansas City’s top corner, Marcus Peters, is an aggressive player who can be beaten on double moves, something in which Brown specializes. And Peters won’t match up on Brown all over the field, anyway. He remains a strong start in all formats.

WR Martavis Bryant

Martavis Bryant caught a season-high 5 passes last week but for just 21 yards. He also had an end around that went for 13 yards. But that isn’t the kind of production you’re looking for from this deep threat. Bryant has been giving way more often to rookie JuJu Smith-Schuster, who is a better blocker, but Bryant remains a deep target—f Ben Roethlisberger can connect with him. KC is 29th in the league in points allowed to opposing receivers, so there’s some hope here. But Roethlisberger has been missing him deep. Bryant is a solid flex play with some upside if he and Roethlisberger can finally hook up.

TE Jesse James

Jesse James had three catches for 24 yards last week against Jacksonville and he hasn’t been a huge target since Week 1. He did have 5 catches for 67 yards against Kansas City in the playoffs last season, but at this point, he’s largely a TD-reliant play. Considering the Chiefs haven’t allowed a touchdown to a tight end yet this season, that doesn’t bode well for James.

Kansas City Chiefs

QB Alex Smith

Alex Smith continued his impressive season last week with a 324-yard passing game with 3 touchdowns, and he yet to thrown an interception through five games this season. He’s now had four multi-touchdown games this season, which has been a much different story than most of his career.

His numbers will likely take a dip this week in a brutal matchup against the Steelers. Pittsburgh has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season with a stifling pass defense. The Steelers have allowed the fewest passing yards along with the fewest yards per attempt. And quarterbacks have only thrown 3 touchdowns against them all season.

Smith has a surprisingly good option in fantasy this year, but he certainly carries some risk in this bad matchup. Since he’s been so good, he should still be viewed as a low-end QB1, but don’t be surprised if he struggles.

RB Kareem Hunt

Kareem Hunt has had 100 yards from scrimmage in every single game this season, which is historically great for a rookie. He started the year by scoring several touchdowns, but he’s cooled off lately with no scores in his last two games.

Hunt’s success should continue this week, though, as he gets a favorable matchup against the Steelers. Pittsburgh allowed fellow rookie running back Leonard Fournette to run wild last week, and has now allowed over 200 yards rushing in a game twice this season. Hunt should be trusted as a strong RB1 this week.

RB Charcandrick West

Charcandrick West had an interesting game last week, touching the ball only three times, but scoring twice. Some might be intrigued by his two scores, but it was clearly just a case of having a good week. West doesn’t get enough touches to warrant fantasy consideration this week.

WR Tyreek Hill

Tyreek Hill had a solid game last week, catching 4 passes for 68 yards and finishing with an 82-yard punt return touchdown. Hill continues to be a boom-or-bust candidate this season as his explosive speed makes him a threat to score a long TD in any game.

Hill could struggle to find much room this week in a tough matchup against the Steelers. Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest passing yards in the league this season, which doesn’t bode well for Hill.

Still, as we saw last week with his punt return score, Hill is always dangerous. He has a low floor this week, but he should still be viewed as a solid WR2.

WR Albert Wilson

Albert Wilson gets a slight bump as he’s no longer splitting the No. 2 receiver role with Chris Conley, who is out with an injury. Wilson should now get most of the scraps in the offense behind Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and Kareem Hunt. Is there enough left for Wilson to be relevant, though?

Wilson had just 3 targets last week and finished with 2 catches for 18 yards. Wilson hasn’t shown us much this season, and in a tough matchup this week against the Steelers, there’s not a lot to like about him.

TE Travis Kelce

Travis Kelce fell just two yards shy of his third 100-yard game this season. There are few tight ends in football as reliable as Kelce has been in 2017. He had an odd one-catch, one-yard game, but for the most part he’s been one of the best at his position.

He gets a tough matchup this week against the Steelers, but we won’t worry too much about that. The tight end position is so shallow that it’d be foolish to start anyone over Kelce. He’s a clear TE1 play this week, even in a bad matchup.

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Los Angeles Chargers @ Oakland Raiders, 4:25 PM ET

Los Angeles Chargers

QB Philip Rivers

It is unclear whether this game will be played in Oakland or Santa Clara, due to concerns about air quality with the wildfires, but either way it’s a road game for Philip Rivers against a Raiders defense that is only 26th in our aFPA vs. QB rankings. Rivers is coming off back-to-back 20-point fantasy performances, and Oakland allowed 18+ to quarterbacks not named Josh McCown, Trevor Siemian, and Joe Flacco. Plus, in two of his last four games against Oakland, Rivers threw for 300+ and 3+ touchdowns. He’s on the QB1 radar for Week 6.

RB Melvin Gordon

Heading into last week, Melvin Gordon told the media he needed to get the ball more. The Chargers listened, more than doubling his previous week’s touches with 26—he responded with 163 total yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. This week against the Raiders, Gordon faces a defense ranked just 18th in our aFPA vs. PPR RBs, and Gordon posted double-digit points in his one game against Oakland last year. He’s a solid bet to be a top-10 RB in Week 6.

WR Keenan Allen

The Keenan Allen Comeback Tour continues against Oakland this week—a team he has not faced since Week 7 of the 2015 season. However, when you’re averaging more than 10 targets per game, that’s what really matters. The Raiders are also only 22nd in our aFPA vs. PPR WR rankings. Allen is a WR1 in Week 6.

WR Tyrell Williams

Tyrell Williams has been too inconsistent to rely on outside of deep leagues in need of a FLEX. One week he puts up 100 yards and a touchdown, then last week, only 2 targets. Plus, first-round rookie Mike Williams may be back this week, which could cut into Williams’ snaps. It’s a very risky proposition for Week 6.

WR Travis Benjamin

Travis Benjamin has had one fantasy relevant game and four duds. You can’t start him in Week 6.

TE Hunter Henry

Finally! The Chargers are starting to use Hunter Henry as the pass weapon he has been since he broke onto the fantasy scene as a rookie last year. He’s a low-end TE1 in 12-team leagues for Week 6, after playing a season-high 75% of snaps and getting a season-high 8 targets. He also has touchdowns in back-to-back games. Considering the wasteland that is fantasy tight ends in 2017, Henry provides legitimate upside.

TE Antonio Gates

The Chargers are starting to use Hunter Henry as the pass weapon he has been since he broke onto the fantasy scene as a rookie last year. That meant only 3 targets last week for Antonio Gates versus 8 for Henry. The Chargers are a losing team right now with a first-year head coach. Expect the younger Henry to keep playing as Gates’ illustrious career starts to come to an end.

K Nick Novak

Novak had a perfect debut for the Chargers last week, hitting all five of his kicks. However, there are better fantasy options for Week 6 at the position in our rankings. Consult them.

Oakland Raiders

QB Derek Carr

It is unclear whether this game will be played in Oakland or Santa Clara, due to concerns about air quality with the wildfires. Not having home field advantage could be a logistical competitive disadvantage for this offense with Derek Carr likely to return from a back injury this week. Given these two risks, Carr has been bumped down outside the QB1 range in 12-team leagues for Week 6. The Chargers are also better than average in our aFPA vs. QB rankings.

RB Marshawn Lynch

It is unclear whether this game will be played in Oakland or Santa Clara, due to concerns about air quality with the wildfires. Whatever the venue, Marshawn Lynch still has yet to get more than 13 touches since Week 1. Even last week with a back-up quarterback, Lynch only received 12 carries. He scored a touchdown, but he’s once again a touchdown-or-bust proposition in Week 6, given his low efficiency with the touches he has received.

RB Jalen Richard

Marshawn Lynch is not getting a lot of work, but neither is Jalen Richard. He’s nothing more than an attrition play if Lynch gets hurt.

RB DeAndre Washington

Marshawn Lynch is not getting a lot of work, but neither is DeAndre Washington. He’s nothing more than an attrition play if Lynch gets hurt.

WR Amari Cooper

Amari Cooper is MIA. We’ve reached the stage where he has to show us again first before we start him. He has 23 yards in his last three games. However, tape study shows he is still beating his coverage and getting wide open at times—his quarterback just didn’t see it. That may be partially his fault, too, as he’s among the league leaders in drops. Cooper is an interesting ultra buy-low candidate, but you can’t start him again…yet.

WR Michael Crabtree

Michael Crabtree proved to be matchup proof and quarterback proof last week, with 80+ yards and a touchdown against a top-10 Ravens defense in our aFPA vs. WR rankings with back-up E.J. Manuel at quarterback. Derek Carr looks like he’ll be back this week in an even better matchup against the Chargers. Crabtree is solidly in the WR2 discussion for Week 6.

WR Seth Roberts

There are not enough targets in this offense for Seth Roberts to be on the fantasy starting lineup radar. Do not start him in Week 6, with both Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree active.

TE Jared Cook

This is the state of the tight end landscape outside the elite three TEs in 2017: Jared Cook is TE12 in PPR, despite not cracking 50 yards since Week 1, and only scoring 1 touchdown on the year. It’s a bad matchup for him this week against the Chargers (second in aFPA vs. TEs), but there just aren’t more TEs better in fantasy right now. Therefore, Cook is still in the TE1 mix this week in 12-team leagues.

K Giorgio Tavecchio

Tavecchio is a fringe top-12 kicking option in 12-team leagues, as the matchup is good against the Chargers. He hasn’t kicked more than one field goal since Week 1, though. For that reason, you may want to find an option that’s been more consistent.

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New York Giants @ Denver Broncos, 8:30 PM ET

New York Giants

QB Eli Manning

Eli Manning had 225 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and a pick last week against the Chargers. He has been largely disappointing this season, and the Giants remain winless through five games. Making matters worse, the Giants lost three WRs to season-ending injuries last week, including top target Odell Beckham Jr. It could be a rough year for Manning.

The Giants face the tough Denver defense this week. The Broncos have given up 8 passing touchdowns this season, but they rank fifth in the league in yards allowed per pass attempt, and Eli will likely have a hard time finding room against them. He should be on your bench this week.

RB Wayne Gallman

Wayne Gallman got 16 touches last week against the Chargers, and wound up with 57 yards rushing and 25 receiving yards on 5 receptions. He led the team in rushing attempts and was tied for second with 5 targets on the day.

Gallman has a lot of long-term upside, but he’s no better than a low-end RB2 option, at best, against the Broncos this week. Denver leads the league in run defense and has yet to give up a rushing touchdown this season.

RB Shane Vereen

Shane Vereen caught 4 passes last week and ran the ball 5 times, but he wound up with only 45 total yards from scrimmage, and his role in the passing game is being challenged by rookie Wayne Gallman. With a tough matchup against the Broncos this week, he should remain on waivers in most leagues, although he has some deep PPR league value on the bench.

WR Sterling Shepard

Sterling Shepard may be the last man standing in New York after the Giants lost three WRs to season-ending injuries last week. He only had 1 catch for 9 yards last week, but he should benefit from an increased number of targets moving forward. Against the No Fly Zone this week, he should be avoided if possible. Shepard should be rostered in most leagues, but he should be considered a very low-end WR3 at best this week in a tough matchup.

TE Evan Engram

Evan Engram was blanked last week and ended up disappointing fantasy owners everywhere with a big goose egg. He’s been pretty consistent with targets the rest of the year, however, and he should recover moving forward, especially with the Giants losing three WRs last week to injury.

The Broncos, as good as they are on defense, have actually allowed the sixth-most fantasy points per game to opposing TEs this year. Expect Engram to be heavily targeted as one of the few remaining options left in the Giants passing game, and for him to be a quality fantasy option in all league formats.

Denver Broncos

QB Trevor Siemian

In the win over the Raiders two weeks ago, Trevor Siemian had his first game of 2017 without a turnover. However, he threw for a season-low 179 yards with 1 TD. During the first quarter of the season, Siemian has averaged 222 passing yards while throwing 7 TDs and 4 interceptions. After the week off, he’ll be facing a Giants defense allowing 225 yards per game through the air. Once again, Siemian makes for more of a QB2 play.

RB C.J. Anderson

Heading into the bye week, C.J. Anderson ran through the Raiders defense for 95 yards on 20 rushes. He also caught 4 passes for 17 yards in the win. Through the first month of the season, Anderson has carried the ball at least 20 times in three of his four games and been over 80 rushing yards each time he has done so. Even with a healthy Jamaal Charles and now Devontae Booker, Anderson will continue to receive the bulk of the carries. Go ahead and insert him back into your lineup after the bye week, as the Giants are yielding nearly 140 yards per game on the ground.

RB Jamaal Charles

Two weeks ago versus Oakland, Jamaal Charles finished with 5 rushes for 33 yards and also caught a 14-yard pass. In his first four games with the Broncos, the veteran has 33 touches for 196 yards and o1ne TD. With Devontae Booker back healthy, look for him to continue to cut into Charles’ playing time. Any Denver RB not named Anderson should not be part of your starting lineup.

WR Demaryius Thomas

With Trevor Siemian only throwing for 179 yards in the win over the Raiders two weeks ago, Demaryius Thomas finished with just an 11-yard catch, despite being targeted 5 times. Thomas came into the game with 17 grabs in the first three contests, so consider the solo reception performance an anomaly. The Giants are giving up 225 passing yards per game, so go ahead and reinsert No. 88 into your starting lineup.

WR Emmanuel Sanders

The Raiders contained Emmanuel Sanders two weeks ago, as he finished with just 4 receptions for 27 yards. In the first four games of 2017, Sanders has totaled 20 grabs, but for only 190 yards and 2 TDs. The Denver passing game has sputtered a bit out of the gate, but has a chance to improve after the week off and playing at home against a Giants defense allowing 225 yards per game through the air. Consider Sanders a WR3 option on Sunday night.

TE Virgil Green

While a tight end scored for the Broncos two weeks ago in the win over the Raiders, it was A.J. Derby who had the big game (4 catches, 75 yards, 1 TD) and not Virgil Green. Through the first four weeks of the season, Green has only 6 receptions for 73 yards and 1 TD. There is no reason for him to be taking up a fantasy roster spot.

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This isn’t a confirmation from the team, but Bryan Broaddus is a knowledgeable Cowboys source and his guess is that Darren McFadden, not Alfred Morris, would replace Ezekiel Elliott if the Cowboys’ starting RB were to miss time due to a suspension.

Fantasy Impact:
McFadden hasn’t suited up during the regular season. He was last seen in the preseason rushing 20 times for 102 yards for a yards-per-carry average of 5.1. McFadden is a more versatile back than Morris, and could provide a bigger spark to the offense over the former Washington back, but it’s all a guessing game at this point. We currently have Morris ranked ahead of McFadden in our rest-of-season rankings.

Raiders QB Derek Carr to start in Week 6

Carr was a full participant in Friday’s practice and has been officially named the starter for the Raiders’ Week 6 showdown versus the Chargers.

Fantasy Impact:
Carr wound up missing only one game and returns to face a Chargers defense allowing nearly 16 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position. In a neutral matchup, according to our aFPA metric, we have Carr ranked as our No. 15 QB for the week.

Packers RB Ty Montgomery ruled questionable for Week 6

On the Packers’ official Week 6 injury report, Ty Montgomery was listed as questionable. However, he has been a full participant in practice all week.

Fantasy Impact:
One thing to watch out for is that while Montgomery practiced, he did so through the use of a flak jacket and didn’t take on much contact. It wouldn’t be a surprise to us if he missed another game. If Montgomery plays, he might be limited and Aaron Jones could take on more work.We currently have Jones ranked as our No. 11 RB in standard leagues and No. 21 RB in PPR leagues. Check back closer to Sunday morning for an update to our rankings.

Titans QB Marcus Mariota hopefully on track to play Monday

Titans QB Marcus Mariota (hamstring) returned to practice on Friday, and while he’s been able to do more on the field each practice session, he’s most likely going to be a game-time decision.

Fantasy Impact:
Whoever starts at QB for the Titans on Monday Night versus the Colts—Mariota or Matt Cassel—has a great matchup. In fact, according to our aFPA metrics, it’s the third-best matchup of the week.We have Cassel ranked as our No. 24 QB for the week, but, in the event Mariota is out, the better pivot would be to stream Jacoby Brissett in an even better matchup.

Vikings rule OUT QB Sam Bradford and WR Stefon Diggs

The Vikings will be without Bradford and Diggs this week when they face the Green Bay Packers at home.

Fantasy Impact:
No Bradford means another start for Case Keenum, who we have ranked as our No. 16 QB this week in a neutral matchup versus the Packers.Losing the services of Diggs hurts more than Bradford. Diggs, the No. 3 fantasy WR, is fifth in the NFL in receiving yards (395) and fourth in TDs (4). No Diggs means a bump up for Adam Thielen, who we have ranked as our No. 10 WR for the week in a great matchup.

Giants WR Sterling Shepard ruled OUT for Week 6

The Giants released a list of players ruled out for this week and Shepard was on it.

Fantasy Impact:
The Giants already lost Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall to season-ending injuries, and they will now be without the services of Shepard for at least this week. That means all three of the Giants’ top WRs are missing in Week 6. The team’s depth chart at WR now consists of Roger Lewis, Tavarres King, Travis Rudolph, and Ed Eagan. In a neutral matchup versus the Broncos, Lewis is our highest ranked Giants WR, but it’s most likely in your best interest to look elsewhere.

RB Paul Perkins ruled OUT for Week 6

Friday, October 13, 2017, 10:36amGiants RB Paul Perkins (ribs) has been ruled out for Week 6, leaving Orleans Darkwa and Wayne Gallman to share lead RB duties, while Shane Vereen will be used in the passing game.

NFL spokesman: Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott ‘is now suspended’

NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart on the latest Ezekiel Elliott suspension news:“Mr. Elliott is now suspended. He will not play over the next six games unless there’s some other affirmative judgement.”

Fantasy Impact:
The Cowboys are on a bye this week, which gives fantasy owners a week’s reprieve of making any Elliott lineup decisions. Until there’s an update on the situation, prepare for an NFL without Elliott until Week 13.

Bucs RB Doug Martin prepared for an increased workload

Martin made his debut last week, playing on 26 of the team’s 72 snaps—second-most at the RB position behind Charles Sims (32)—but he’s ready to take on more work this week.

“I feel like I can handle anything coach asks me to do,’’ Martin said. “I’m prepared to do everything.’’

Fantasy Impact:
While Martin was second in snaps to Sims last week, he led the team in carries (13) and rushing yards (74). He also scored a touchdown—something he didn’t do much of last season, scoring only 3 TDs in eight games. It’s good to hear Martin is ready for more work as fantasy owners could use another reliable option at RB each week. In a somewhat difficult matchup versus Arizona this week, according to our aFPA metric, we have Martin ranked as our No. 15 RB in standard leagues.

Washington TE Jordan Reed not ‘100%’ but says he’s ready to play

Reed isn’t listed on the team’s injury report and Washington was just on a bye, so perhaps Reed is fully healthy, but we never really know with him.

Fantasy Impact:
Drafted as a top-three tight end this offseason, Reed has disappointed to date, catching 14 passes for 105 yards and 0 touchdowns. In what is a very difficult matchup versus the 49ers, according to our aFPA metric, we have Reed ranked as a top-7 tight end in both standard and PPR formats. At a position barren of options, you’re most likely starting Reed this week.

As a non-profit entity, we do not have the staff to cover the NFL like other great websites. When we find great articles, we pass on the information and give credit where credit is due. The content on our website is provided for FREE and solely to assist the participants in the Fantasy Gives fantasy football fundraiser, where we utilize fantasy sports as a means to support non-profit groups.

This post was adapted from their premium service and WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND PAYING FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THEIR WEBSITE! Please visit 4for4.comfor subscription details.

In Ahead of the Curve, I will try and identify multiple NFL DFS trends that are pertinent for the upcoming week. These trends could be betting related, player- or team-specific, or game theory/ownership topics to help you gain an edge in your lineups.

Let’s get to the Week 6 Curve:

1. Navigating the Cohort Of High-End Running Backs

This week is loaded with excellent running back plays from the top of the salary scale to all the way down in the middle- and low-tier. We’ll get to one of the biggest Week 6 decisions in the Saints backfield in a moment – but we need to go through prime plays first.

Starting from the top, Kareem Hunt ($9300) is at home, Kansas City is favored and playing a Pittsburgh defense that is allowing the most fantasy points per carry to opposing backs. Hunt has gone over 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this year – while the Steelers are being bludgeoned for the fourth-most scrimmage yards per game via running backs (166.6).

Meanwhile, Leonard Fournette ($8600) is a home-favorite against a Rams’ front-seven that is getting shellacked for the most fantasy PPG by ball carriers. Opposing backs are tagging 119.80 yards, and 1.20 rushing touchdowns per game vs. the Rams as L.A. is allowing the third-most rushing points per carry to the position. Attached to the most run-heavy squad in the league that is running on 57.4% of red-zone plays (third-most), Fournette is in the running for the best RB play on the board in Week 6. He should lose his mind against the Rams.

Devonta Freeman ($8500) is also at home in Atlanta and a huge favorite (-13) over Miami. Since the start of 2015, Freeman is averaging 1.43 rushing touchdowns per game when the Falcons are at home and favored by six or more points (seven-game sample size). Freeman has finished as the weekly RB21, RB6, RB7, and RB17 this year with at least 11.9 PPR points in each game. After an odd Week 1 with just 14 opportunities, Freeman has at least 20 attempts and targets in each game since (21 > 24 > 20).

All-purpose monsters Le’Veon Bell ($9000) and Todd Gurley ($8400) are not home-favorites like Hunt, Fournette, and Freeman – but they are in pristine matchups against Kansas City and Jacksonville, respectively. The Chiefs (24th in FootballOutsiders’ Run Defense DVOA) and Jaguars (31st – Run Defense DVOA) are stout versus aerial attacks, but leaky against the run. Bell has an absurd 66(!) opportunities (attempts plus targets) in his last two games while Gurley finished as a top-six scoring back in each contest in the first month of the season.

Ownership is going to be incredibly exciting this week. Hunt, in theory, is the top play on the board for his floor/ceiling in a fantastic matchup – but Gurley is $900 cheaper on FanDuel and has an equally appetizing draw versus Jacksonville. On this subject, the best receiver in fantasy football, Antonio Brown, is juiced all the way up in price in Week 6 ($9200) and will likely be lower owned than he should while everyone (rightfully) loads up on high-priced backs. With such a loaded crop of high-cost plays, it’d be wise to diversify tournament allocation if you are multi-entering lineups this week.

2. Mark Ingram vs. Alvin Kamara

While Alvin Kamara is the shiny new toy, Mark Ingram is the superior Saints’ running back play this week. Kamara is a sharp start in his right, but Ingram’s floor/ceiling combination is incredibly underpriced on FanDuel at $5900 this week. The Saints are at home, favored by -4.5, and with Adrian Peterson‘s ineffective carries now off the roster – both Kamara and Ingram are in line for more work.

However, it’d be a surprise if the Saints’ magically flip a switch and make Alvin Kamara a volume running back without Peterson. Consider that in Week 2-4, the Saints’ team share of carries was as follows: Ingram (50%); Peterson (29%); Kamara (11%). What’s more, as Adam Levitan notes, Mark Ingram‘s share of Saints running back carries has increased in every week this season: 31% > 47% > 56% > 61%. More specifically, Ingram has at least one red-zone carry in every game so far, and his last three snap rates are 55% > 50% > 62%. Kamara’s snap rates (26% > 29% > 35%) were significantly behind Ingram’s in that span with Peterson on the roster.

With that said, Kamara is tied for the Saints’ lead in red-zone targets (5) with Michael Thomas, and he has at least five targets in every game. That’s a great floor at his cost. Still, Mark Ingram has target totals of 5 > 5 > 4 > 8 this year and now has a legitimate shot at seeing 65% of team carries. In fantasy football, opportunity – not sexy, shiny new things – scores us points. Ingram is the better volume bet against Detroit in Week 6.

3. The Tight End Minefield

This week on FanDuel, Rob Gronkowski is up at an exorbitant $8000 and is effectively priced as a low-end WR1 while Travis Kelce’s price has stagnated in the low-$7000 range. Meanwhile, Jordan Reed’s FanDuel salary is at a near two-year low of $6500, marking his second-lowest cost point since Week 1, 2016.

However, injuries are abundant for Gronk, Kelce, and Reed.

Rob Gronkowski (thigh) will play this week – but on a slate where we want to spend up (at least once) at running back, it’ll be hard to fit in Gronk’s high price point. However, at press-time, Kelce looks like he’s going to clear through the NFL’s concussion protocol and since he’s been questionable for most of the week, he may come in at lower ownership than expected. Travis Kelce is averaging a cool 6/87/0.40 (14.1 FanDuel PPG) at home over the past two years. Kelce has 9.1 PPG on the road during that span.

Finally, Jordan Reed is off of Washington’s injury report but he still says he’s playing at “less than 100 percent” health as we head towards Week 6. Honestly, I don’t think Reed has been 100 percent healthy in many years, and it’s hard to ignore that his snap rate nosedived after Week 1 (87%) to 56% in Week 2 and then was 28% in Week 4 before Washington’s bye. Reed missed Week 3 entirely.

Once again, it makes the most sense to institute a barbell approach at tight end for lineup decisions. If you’re not feeling the high-cost injury mess in Week 6, Austin Hooper ($4800) and Ryan Griffin ($4500) are serviceable punts on FanDuel.

The issue with Austin Hooper this year hasn’t been playing-time, it’s been volume. This year, Hooper has played over 70% snaps in every single game but, before Week 4, Hooper had just six targets total. However, with Mohamed Sanu (hamstring) limited to 31 snaps in Week 4 and now that he’s likely out in Week 6, Austin Hooper stands to see the most significant bump in targets. Sanu runs 61% of his routes from the slot and averaged 7.0 targets per game when healthy in Week 1-3. Granted, Hooper won’t just dominate all of Sanu’s missing passing looks — but both players obviously run routes from a similar part of the field. What’s more, 27.8% of throws going into Miami’s pass coverage have gone to tight ends while only the Browns (7.60) have allowed more receptions per game to enemy tight ends than the Dolphins (7.0).

On the flip side, Griffin is the stone minimum on FanDuel; he has played at least 80% of team snaps in three-straight games with CJ Fiedorowicz (concussion) on injured-reserve with 5.0 targets per contest in that span. This year, the Browns have continued their annual tradition of getting clocked by enemy tight ends as they are seeing the highest target share against tight ends in their coverage (31%) and allowing an insane 81% catch rate to the position. No team is giving up more receptions per game to tight ends than Cleveland.

As usual, figuring out tight end is like swimming in treacherous, piranha-filled waters in Week 6.

4. It’s D-Jax Week

While Patrick Peterson chases Mike Evans around the Bucs’ formation in Week 6, DeSean Jackson will benefit from the Cardinals poor coverage beyond Peterson. The Cardinals are getting waxed for the league’s fourth-most yards per reception (14.37) while Jackson is coming off his best game as a Buc in Week 5 (five catches, 106 yards). Golden Tate (10/107), Brice Butler (2/90/1), Nelson Agholor (4/93/1), and Torrey Smith (3/70/1) have all ripped the Cards’ while each team’s respective best boundary receiver is busy with Patrick Peterson‘s lock-down coverage. Peterson has held down alpha receivers (Hilton – 4/49, Bryant – 2/12/1, Garcon – 4/36, Jeffery – 3/31) all year long.

Arizona has allowed an above-league-average catch rate on throws 30-plus yards downfield while DeSean Jackson already leads the league in targets thrown 20-plus yards in the air per game (3.50). D-Jax has legitimate WR1 upside in Week 6 as the corner he’ll see most of (Justin Bethel) has been waxed for touchdown gains of 37, 45, and 59 yards this year.

5. It’s Also Landry Week (Again)

The lone playable member of the ‘Fins pass offense – and perhaps the entire team in Week 6 – is Jarvis Landry. Owning the NFL version of reverse-splits, Jarvis Landry performs better when the ‘Fins are underdogs by three or more points (12.87 FanDuel PPG) versus all other games (11.66 PPG). The Falcons are favorites by a whopping 13-points in Week 6. What’s more, Landry has double-digit targets in 3-of-4 games this year as only DeAndre Hopkins has seen a higher percentage of his team’s targets than Landry on the year (31%). Given the fact that Atlanta is forcing opposing offenses to the air at the third-highest rate in the league and that Miami is a huge road dog that will likely be without DeVante Parker (ankle), Jarvis Landry has an eight to nine target floor in Week 6. Do you want volume? You’ve got it here.

As a non-profit entity, we do not have the staff to cover the NFL like other great websites. When we find great articles, we pass on the information and give credit where credit is due. The content on our website is provided for FREE and solely to assist the participants in the Fantasy Gives fantasy football fundraiser, where we utilize fantasy sports as a means to support non-profit groups.

This post was adapted from their premium service and WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND PAYING FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THEIR WEBSITE! Please visit Fantasy Guru for subscription details.

Fantasy Gives is a 501c3 charitable organization that provides financial support to non-profit groups through fantasy sports. Fantasy Gives uses the immense popularity of the NFL (202+ TV viewers) and fantasy sports (57+ million participants…35% females) as a means to make a positive impact on our communities. You can have fun playing our one-week fantasy football contests to support your favorite charity. You can even thousands of dollars in weekly prizes for your charitable efforts.

Fantasy Gives utilizes the same player salary structure and scoring system as FanDuel for our fantasy football fundraiser. We post Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) articles to assist the participants in our fundraiser contests. Visit Fantasy Gives for more details about our fundraiser.

I’m back from my two week’s off (we just added baby #3 to the Sylvester household) and ready to continue to streak. On the season, these lineups have been 3 for 3 in double-ups. This week, we are afforded two terrific cheap running backs who are guaranteed substantial touches against weak defenses, so we will be able to spend up with the rest of our lineup.

QUARTERBACK

Drew Brees (NO vs DET): $8,600

QB is a nightmare to shuffle through this week. Rodgers has a tough matchup, Brady is so expensive that he would need a huge game to be worth it, Stafford is fighting an injury, Watson has only given us a small sample size, and so forth. We could spend down on Phillip Rivers or Carson Palmer, who should both throw a ton, but with our value running backs, we have too much money to not use Brees who is coming off a bye, going against a bottom 5 pass defense, and playing at home in his comfy dome. You can put his 2x value (17.2 points) in the bank this week.

RUNNING BACK

C.J. Anderson (DEN vs NYG): $7,000

There hasn’t been a running back play I’ve been more excited about all season. Like Brees, Anderson is coming off a bye and has a terrific matchup. He has picked up 4.6 yards per carry so far this season behind an improved offensive line and the Giants have major issues with finishing tackles, and have been getting worse as their miserable season wears on. The Broncos’ have given C.J. 20+ carries in three of their four games this season, and with a positive game script, he should see just as much action again this week.

Samaje Perine (WAS vs SF): $4,900

Just because Perine has been subpar for two games doesn’t mean he can’t play football. Just ask Le’Veon Bell or Todd Gurley:

We are talking about a rookie with a similar game to Michael Turner, who as you remember, was a first round fantasy pick. With Rob Kelley out, Perine will be afforded another 20+ touches in a terrific game script and against a run defense that would allow Trent Richardson to go for 100+ if he stepped back on the field Sunday.

WIDE RECEIVER

Antonio Brown (PIT @ KC): $9,200

Big Ben has remarkably thrown the ball to Brown a whopping 64 times over the first 5 games including 19 targets last week against one of the best corners in football. He should see plenty more work this week against the Chiefs, who have been a bottom 6 defense against the pass. You need not worry about Marcus Peters anymore either apparently, as he has been getting torched all season for whatever reason.

Michael Thomas (NO vs DET): $8,500

Last season, Thomas was one of the best receivers in football despite only seeing 122 targets This year, with Brandin Cooks gone, he is on pace for 148 targets and has been every bit as efficient. As I mentioned with Brees, the Lions have been struggling against the pass this season, and with the Saints coming off the bye and playing at home in the dome, they are a good bet to keep that trend going for Detroit.

Keenan Allen (LAC @ OAK): $7,200

I’d love to use DeAndre Hopkins here, but it just couldn’t fit under the budget unless we made a significant sacrifice elsewhere. Allen is another terrific option, however. Just check out this gem from our podcast friend, Jim Sannes (@JimSannes):

Keenan Allen has 27.6% of Chargers’ deep targets & 29.2% of RZ looks. With how many raw targets he gets, that’s a huge floor+ceiling combo.

Don’t be too discouraged about Allen’s performance last week. He was being manned by Janoris Jenkins, who has locked down even the best receivers in football. Allen should see another dozen targets in a shootout of a game this weekend.

TIGHT END

Martellus Bennett (GB @ MIN): $5,500

Only Zach Ertz, Delanie Walker, Jared Cook and Bennett have at least 3 receptions every game this season. Bennett is the only one playing with the greatest quarterback in the history of the world. Tight end is such a crapshoot that we need a touchdown to make value, so we will take any safety we can get and cross our fingers for that TD. Bennett hasn’t scored this year, but he is getting plenty of red zone targets and goes against the Vikings, who have already allowed 57.9 fantasy points to tight ends this year.

KICKER

Brandon McManus (DEN vs NYG): $4,900

Picking kickers is tricky business, but the Broncos are big favorites and likely won’t be aggressive in the red zone. There won’t be much wind and the balls fly in Denver so 50+ yarders are quite a bit easier. Perhaps most important is that the Giants have surrendered 51 fantasy points to kickers this season, which is among the top five in football.

DEFENSE

New Orleans Saints (NO vs DET): $4,200

Maybe I had you until hear you are suddenly questioning everything I said. Give me a chance for a second. After Anderson, this was the second piece I built my lineup around. They are coming off the bye and have 4 sacks in each of their last two games while allowing just 6.5 points per game. They finished the season strong last year too, so it doesn’t seem like a fluke. Then, there is the fact that Matthew Stafford has been sacked 6 times in each of the past two games and will be playing on what looked like a severe ankle sprain sustained at the end of last game. He was clearly in a lot of pain as he struggled to finish the game. There is a chance we end up seeing Jake Rudock at some point in this one, which gives them a terrific ceiling on top of what I consider a great floor for the price.

As a non-profit entity, we do not have the staff to cover the NFL like other great websites. When we find great articles, we pass on the information and give credit where credit is due. The content on our website is provided for FREE and solely to assist the participants in the Fantasy Gives fantasy football fundraiser, where we utilize fantasy sports as a means to support non-profit groups.

This post was adapted from their premium service and WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND PAYING FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THEIR WEBSITE! Please visit Fantasy Pros for subscription details.

Fantasy Gives is a 501c3 charitable organization that provides financial support to non-profit groups through fantasy sports. Fantasy Gives uses the immense popularity of the NFL (202+ TV viewers) and fantasy sports (57+ million participants…35% females) as a means to make a positive impact on our communities. You can have fun playing our one-week fantasy football contests to support your favorite charity. You can even thousands of dollars in weekly prizes for your charitable efforts.

Fantasy Gives utilizes the same player salary structure and scoring system as FanDuel for our fantasy football fundraiser. We post Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) articles to assist the participants in our fundraiser contests. Visit Fantasy Gives for more details about our fundraiser.

Let me start by pointing out a previous error I made. When building the Thursday/Sunday/Monday FanDuel team, I misread the schedule and discussed the Broncos/Giants game as the Monday Night Football game. As it turns out, the only member from the Thursday Night Football game and Monday Night Football game on the roster was kicker Jake Elliott ($4,600), so that roster (which can be seen here) is also GPP worthy on the main slate once you swap in a different kicker. Having gotten that out of the way, the lineup below features a slightly different mix of players. If you’re a multi-entry GPP gamer like myself, you can run the previously suggested roster with this one.

QUARTERBACK

Drew Brees (NO): $8,600 vs. Lions

Since yesterday’s piece was published, the line has moved a point. The Saints are now only 4.5-point favorites instead of 5.5-point favorites, according to Pinnacle, but the game’s over/under total remains the highest on the slate at 50 points. Brees is a fire-breathing giant at home, and the Lions are coming off of an embarrassing showing defensively against Cam Newton and the Panthers. Cam isn’t nearly as talented or accomplished a passer as Brees is. I’ll reiterate that Deshaun Watson ($7,900) is the chalk at quarterback and a great play in all game types, but Brees is an elite caliber pivot.

RUNNING BACK

Kareem Hunt (KC): $9,300 vs. Steelers

Hunt’s a fresh play from the other roster. He replaces C.J. Anderson. The Chiefs’ stud rookie will be the chalkier play, but he has a cushy matchup against the Steelers. Football Outsiders (FO) ranks the Steelers in the middle of the pack defending the run at 15th, and they check in slightly above average ranking 10th defending backs in the passing game. Having said that, they’ve coughed up the fourth most FanDuel points per game to running backs (25.3), and Hunt’s been the game’s best this year. Hunt leads the NFL in rushing yards (609), rushing yards per game (121.8), and yards from scrimmage (775). He’s caught three or more passes in four of five games, and he’s averaging 33.2 yards receiving per game while hauling in a pair of scores. Hunt’s been held out of the end zone in back-to-back games, but he’s riding a three-game streak of besting 100 yards rushing, and he’s hit triple-digit yardage as a runner in four games overall with a season-low of 81 yards on the ground in Week 2. He’s been elite and consistent, and there’s no reason to think he’ll slow down this week with the Chiefs serving as four-point favorites at home with an implied team total of 25.5 points.

Jerick McKinnon (MIN): $5,600 vs. Packers

McKinnon’s a chalky carryover from the DFS LINEUP ADVICE – WEEK 6 post. Nothing has changed to warrant altering my analysis, so check that out here. I’ll add that if you wish to use C.J. Anderson with Hunt instead, you can do so by moving down to Watson at quarterback and spinning down from my highlighted defense (my preferred option to spin down to in order to make the salary work is the Buccaneers).

WIDE RECEIVER

Michael Thomas (NO): $8,500 vs. Lions

Thomas remains the stack partner with Brees, but I can now point out that he’ll likely draw Darius Slay in coverage, at least according to the info at Pro Football Focus (PFF). PFF credits the Lions with playing shadow coverage in three of five games, per their Shadow Coverage Matrix. I suspected that would be the matchup when touting Thomas the other day, so this doesn’t change my view of using him. Slay is a tough draw in coverage, but at 6-0 and 192 pounds, per Pro-Football Reference, he cedes three inches and 22 pounds to the bigger Thomas. The second-year wideout has been targeted at least eight times in all four games, and he’s riding a three-game streak of besting 85 yards receiving. He’s also scored a touchdown in back-to-back games.

Antonio Brown (PIT): $9,200 @ Chiefs

Brown’s another carryover. It’s no secret that the Chiefs don’t use Marcus Peters in shadow coverage, so the Steelers will almost certainly move Brown around to draw favorable matchups. FO ranks Kansas City 22nd defending No. 1 receivers, and they’ve yielded the third most FanDuel points per game to wideouts this year. Even if the Steelers wisely lean on their workhorse back more with Ben Roethlisberger struggling mightily this year, Brown should still get a ton of looks. His season low is nine targets in a game, and he’s received 11 or more in the other four contests including 19 that he turned into 10 grabs for 157 yards last week.

Kenny Golladay (DET): $4,700 @ Saints

Golladay hasn’t played since Week 3. He was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, so it appears he’s trending in the right direction. You’ll need to monitor his practice status today and his injury report designation heading into play over the weekend, but assuming he’s active, I like the matchup. Both of New Orleans’ outside corners, Ken Crawley and Marshon Lattimore, have top-10 cornerback grades at PFF. So from that perspective, it’s not a great matchup for Golladay regardless of who he draws outside. Like Thomas against Slay, however, Golladay (6-4 and 218 pounds) holds a big size advantage over both Crawley (6-1 and 180 pounds) and Lattimore (6-0 and 193 pounds). Golladay’s been quiet since turning in a 4-69-2 line on seven targets in the season opener, but his size makes him an enticing option for Matthew Stafford to air it out to on big plays and in the red zone. Even as 4.5-point underdogs, the Lions have a solid implied team total of 22.75 points. Furthermore, the spread implies an ideal game-script for Detroit’s pass catchers. At just $4,700, Golladay doesn’t have to do much to hit value, and after missing a couple weeks and posting a pair of duds in Week 2 and Week 3, I suspect the rookie receiver will be low owned.

TIGHT END

Ryan Griffin (HOU): $4,500 vs. Browns

As is the case with McKinnon, there’s nothing new to add here from my analysis in the DFS LINEUP ADVICE – WEEK 6 post. I’m down on the top options at tight end this week, and Griffin offers a ton of points-per-dollar upside as a minimum salary punt against the most fantasy-friendly defense for tight ends to face this season.

KICKER

Nick Novak (LAC): $4,500 @ Raiders

Jake Elliott played in the Thursday Night Football game and wasn’t eligible to use on the main slate, so I’ve opted to swap him out for a minimum salary option. New Chargers’ kicker Nick Novak banged through both of his field-goal attempts and all three of his point-after attempts in his debut with his new club last week. The Raiders have surrendered the most field-goal attempts (16) this year, and their struggles keeping teams out of the end zone as well has resulted in tying for 15th in point-after attempts (10), too.

DEFENSE

Falcons (ATL): $5,000 vs. Dolphins

There’s not enough salary left from the selected options on offense to slot in Denver’s D/ST, but the Falcons make for an attractive alternative. Early in the week, it appeared the 2016 leader in sacks, Vic Beasley might return this week. It’s looking unlikely at this point in the week, though. While that’s a buzz kill, the Falcons are still 13-point favorites at home, coming off of a bye, and facing the worst offense in the league this year. All of those variables are ideal for a sky-high scoring ceiling. Miami’s the only offense in the NFL averaging under four yards per play (3.9 yards per play), and they rank dead last with 10.3 points per game. Their per-game scoring is remarkably 5.1 points lower than the next worst team. They’ve been completely inept, and Atlanta’s offense is fully capable of staking their defense to a huge lead. If the Falcons get historically turnover-prone Jay Cutler in obvious passing situations, I like their odds of turning him over multiple times.

As a non-profit entity, we do not have the staff to cover the NFL like other great websites. When we find great articles, we pass on the information and give credit where credit is due. The content on our website is provided for FREE and solely to assist the participants in the Fantasy Gives fantasy football fundraiser, where we utilize fantasy sports as a means to support non-profit groups.

This post was adapted from their premium service and WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND PAYING FOR A SUBSCRIPTION TO THEIR WEBSITE! Please visit Fantasy Pros for subscription details.

A federal appeals court overturned a district court’s decision in the Ezekiel Elliott case Thursday, meaning the Dallas Cowboys running back’s six-game suspension has been reinstated.

The 5th Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of the NFL that the district court did not have subject matter jurisdiction in Elliott case after hearing oral arguments from the league and NFL Players Association lawyers earlier this month. It vacates the preliminary injunction and directs an order to the lower court to dismiss the case.

However, the NFLPA is expected to re-file the case with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York and seek a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in order to keep Elliott playing, according to Gabe Feldman, director of the Tulane Sports Law Program. The Cowboys have a bye this week and there’s a chance Elliott might not miss a single game if the NFLPA refiles the case and is granted a TRO or preliminary injunction.

Elliott and the NFLPA have other legal options as well. They could seek an en banc hearing with the 5th Circuit or refile the case in Texas, according to Feldman.

“So the Players Association could ask the district court in New York or perhaps some other court to reinstate the preliminary injunction, which would put that suspension back on hold,” Feldman said on NFL Network’s TNF First Look. “So this is not over yet, particularly with the bye week, that Elliott will not serve the suspension.

“Again it’s an uphill battle but it’s possible to get that ruling in eight days,” Feldman said. “Just because they get a ruling though doesn’t mean it’s a favorable ruling, but it’s certainly in the realm of possibility.”

In it’s majority decision, 5th Circuit judges Edward C. Prado and Jennifer Walker Elrod ruled that the NFLPA filed its lawsuit to have Elliott’s suspension dissolved before an arbitration decision was made on the decision.

“At the time the NFLPA filed the complaint, it was possible the arbitrator could have issued a final decision that was favorable to Elliott. Elliott cannot show it was futile to wait for a final decision simply because he believed the arbitrator would issue an unfavorable ruling. As there was no final decision, Elliott had not yet exhausted the contracted-for remedies.

In his dissenting decision, judge James E. Graves wrote he believed the district court properly and concluded the “NFL is unable to show a likelihood of success on the merits of any irreparable injury for purposes of a stay.”

The NFL appeal was part of an attempt by the NFL to enforce Elliott’s suspension this season and confirm NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s authority to issue punishment based on “conduct detrimental” to the league as mandated in Article 46 of the collective bargaining agreement.

Goodell suspended Elliott after a year-long investigation into domestic violence accusations made by his former girlfriend, Tiffany Thompson. The league found he violated the league’s conduct policy, which mandates a six-game suspension for first-time domestic violence violations. In a letter sent to Elliott informing him of suspension in August, the NFL stated it believed he used physical force against Thompson three times over a span of five days in July 2016.

Elliott, 22, was never charged and has denied wrongdoing.

Elliott has 105 carries, 393 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns for the Cowboys this season.

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